Choices 'In Love'
by Knight of Wattala
Summary: “To him you are nothing more than just another pretty face, but to me...you are my dreams, my hopes and my inspiration….that guy can never love you the way I can. The way you deserve to be loved….” Cloud races aganist time to save the woman he loves.Cloti
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey everyone! This fic. is my first romantic story! It's also my first in the FFVII universe, so I ask only this simple thing of you. Please be constructive in your reviews. I would love feedback from you, the readers be it good or bad or suggestions for improvement. I welcome ALL reviews. **

**The inspiration for this fic just popped into my head. It's purely romance with no action in it....but don't let that stop you guys from reading!!! **

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Chapter 1

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Tifa Lockheart hummed merrily to herself as she flipped the pancake over on the pan. The smell of butter and vanilla filled the pantry during the early hours of the morning, as Tifa prepared breakfast for her ravenous 'family. Leaving the pancake simmering in the pan she walked up to the small stairway that led to their rooms and yelled.

"Marlene! You better hurry up Daddy will be here soon and you know he doesn't like being held up"

A squeal of delight followed these words, and Tifa couldn't help but smile to herself before continuing.

"You too Denzel, Marlene is not the only one going on this trip!"

"Be….down….in….a ….sec!"

Tifa smiled to herself, before quickly returning to the pancakes.

It had been over fortnight since Kadaj and his brothers had terrorized Edge in their search for Jenova's head, and ever since the terrifying attacks by Bahumut Sin the town had returned to normal after some massive construction efforts by the WRO. The same however could not be said about Seventh Heaven and it's occupants.

_Nope _thought Tifa to herself _Things are better than ever before. _

Ever since Cloud's victory over Sephiroth his attitude and behaviour had changed over the past fortnight. He was smiling more often and paying attention to what he had now instead of what he had lost. The changes had been gradual, but Tifa did not miss a single detail. It had started when he began answering his phone whenever he was on his deliveries (something he had neglected to do when he had his Geostigma), and then he began to get more involved in the day-to-day house activities of their household, be it helping the children with their homework or helping her out in the bar when there was a full night, he had definitely made himself more available around their home. Then one day, he had surprised Tifa when he called her and said that he was taking a day off to spend time with the family.  
The kids responded to Cloud's changed attitude with zest and they couldn't make themselves more vocal when he entered through the garage door after a long day of deliveries. The home that Tifa had struggled to build was now coming alive with the domestic chivalry that she had longed for ever since she set up house with Cloud and Marlene.

She heard heavy footsteps on the stairway and smiled for she immediately knew who was coming.

"Morning Tifa" came the familiar voice of Cloud Strife, he had made it a habit to greet her like this every morning, a habit she was glad he acquired.

"Morning Cloud" she said brightly, she tossed the pancake on to a nearby plate before grabbing the batter.

A pause followed their casual greetings, as Tifa concentrated on pouring out some batter onto the frying pan. When she looked up Cloud was staring at her with his bright blue eyes, he was wearing a dark purple sleeveless shirt with dark pants to match, Tifa noticed that he was wearing his shoulder guard and smiled teasingly.

"Are you going on a delivery?" she asked "Or monster hunting?"

Cloud smiled and rubbed the back of his head, as his cheeks turned red.

"Well you never know" he said "You can always meet monsters on the road..."

"I was just teasing Cloud" said Tifa with a small laugh.

Silence fell between the two friends, but it wasn't the awkward tension that once hung unpleasantly in the air like a stale stench, on the contrary it was a rather pleasant silence which Tifa enjoyed immensel. She noticed Cloud's eyes wander onto the huge pile of pancakes that sat on a plate and he smirked.

"Tifa, Marlene and Denzel are children" he said "Not a pair of wolves"

Tifa laughed, fully appreciating Cloud's joke, the swordsmen himself gave a small smile, pleased at seeing his friend laugh.

"Well, I have you to feed now don't I?" she said "And Barret"

Cloud murmured in agreement as he grabbed a plate from the counter and piled a few pancakes on it.

"When's he coming?" he asked as he shoved half a pancake into his mouth.

"At nine" she said, watching Cloud eat "You really shouldn't do that you know?"

"Do what?" he asked, and a smirk crept back onto his face "This?"

And he shoved the entire pancake into his mouth.

"Cloud!" said Tifa laughing.

"What?" came the muffled reply.

"You're an idiot"

"Hey!"

"But in a good way"

Cloud shrugged "I'll guess I'll have to take that…is Barret really taking the kids to Golden Saucer?"

"Yep"

"All by himself?"

"Nope, Elmyra is going with him "

"At least he'll have company in his week of torture" murmured Cloud, as he grabbed another pancake and began eating it.

Tifa reached over the counter and lightly cuffed Cloud on the head, though she was smiling "Hey!"

"The kids aren't that bad" she said.

"They will be when they get to Golden Saucer" said Cloud.

Tifa couldn't help but agree with him though she didn't say anything. Just then she heard the scuffle of two pairs of feet, and she mentally braced herself for what was about to happen.

"TIFA!!!! CLOUD!!!" came the loud, high-pitched cry "Is daddy here yet?"

"Not yet Marlene" said Tifa, as the kids ran in, fully dressed for the day and hopped onto the chairs at the counter. "He'll be here soon enough though" she added glancing at the clock on the wall.

"I've never been to Golden Saucer before" said Denzel, as he looked up at Cloud "Is it fun Cloud? Is it exciting?"

"It's nice Denzel" said Cloud, whose quiet voice contrasted heavily with the children's loud, excited tones "I think you'll have a great time"

Denzel beamed at his reply.

"Daddy told me all about it Denzel!" piped up Marlene "It's so cool! They have this place called…"

The kids continued to talk in loud and excited voices over their trip, neither Tifa nor Cloud had the heart to tell them to clam down because they both knew how important this trip was to them. Denzel until two weeks ago was plagued with Geostigma, and even though he was cured, he would still wake up in the middle of the night sweating and panting in fear as he remembered all too vividly the pain and suffering associated with the incurable sickness. Both Tifa and Cloud knew only a trip to a place as exciting and vibrant as Golden Saucer would cure the children of their fears.

"Well I'm off" said Cloud abruptly, as he got up after finishing his fifth pancake "I'll see you later Tifa" he said, smiling quietly.

Tifa smiled back though she couldn't help but notice that his smile was different, there was a quite intensity in his eyes as if he was trying to tell her something. Tifa also noticed a look of yearning on his face, and she grew concerned.

"Cloud?" she asked uncertainly.

"Nothing" said Cloud , the look in his eyes vanished and his casual, indifferent look returned "I'll be back around…nine?"

Tifa nodded, still watching Cloud with concern.

"Are you leaving Cloud?" asked Marlene, looking up.

"Yeah I'll see you guys later" he said, smiling down at both of them "Have a great time you two"

"We will!" they cried in unison as Cloud made his way to the garage door. He turned back to wave at them all; Tifa along with the children returned the wave with enthusiasm.

Tifa could barely hear Cloud start Fenrir and drive out of the garage amidst the din the children were making. Indeed she couldn't hear her own PHS beeping, and would have surely missed the message that came if she didn't keep the phone in her pocket. It vibrated to life and she took it out puzzled as to who it could be.

_Hey babe_

Tifa smiled knowing who it was. She quickly glanced at the children who were still babbling about Golden Saucer, before quietly walking out of the kitchen and onto the stairway.

_Where were you last night? _She typed back.

She waited for the reply, for what seemed like about five minutes she listened to the children in the kitchen. Then her phone beeped to life.

_Busy_

She frowned. That was an awfully short reply for someone who took a long time to type it. She typed her reply

_Doing what?_

Another five minutes…

_Work. I wanna see you tonight_

She smiled and typed

_No, Cloud will be coming home and I haven't told him about us_

_So? Tell him tonight while I'm there_

A light frown creased her features as she replied.

_He has no clue. I want to tell him __alone _

_Come on babe, I haven't seen you in __ages__!! _

She couldn't help smile at these words, the man she was texting did have a point, the reconstruction of Edge had eaten into the time they could have spent together, moreover Tifa had yet to tell Cloud about her secret relationship, which meant her man had to avoid the bar whenever Cloud was around.

_Then why didn't you come over last night? Cloud was in Wutai. You should have been here._

_I told you I was busy. There's something important I need to ask of you. Please!!!! I'll leave before Cloud comes back. _

Tifa contemplated the situation. She did want to see her boyfriend, it had been two weeks since she last did, plus she was curious about what he wanted to ask her.

_Alright_

_See you tonight baby, and I promise you won't regret it._

Tifa smiled at those words. She certainly hoped that was the case.

_See you tonight. Bye Reno._

**A/N: Well what do you think? I hope it wasn't too fast paced. Please review and let me know what you think. Thanks! **

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	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I would like to thank Sigbru and vx-Luna-xv for their reviews!!! They were much appreciated as I embark into the murky territory of the romantic dramas. **

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**Chapter Two**

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It had been an exhausting day for Cloud Strife. The dull grey skies that hovered like a persistent bug over the town of Edge reflected his weariness, as he sped through the dark streets.

The day had started, as any other day would have. He woke up to clear skies and a delicious breakfast from Tifa. His work started with a delivery to Junon and as he kicked Fenrir to life and waved goodbye to Tifa, Marlene and Denzel his thoughts were all but focused on going through the day's schedule as quickly as possible so that he could be home as soon as possible...home with Tifa.

However fate had different plans, halfway to Junon it began to rain and Cloud was held up as he took shelter in an inn. He reached Junon at late morning as opposed to mid morning as he was his original plan. His late arrivel to Junon, set into motion, a series of late deliveries and irate customers. Cloud, as much as he was irritated with the weather and the attitude of his customers, did not really care about his work as might have once did. Instead the only thing that bothered him was that throughout the day Tifa had not called him once.

_It's not like her _he thought to himself, as Fenrir sped through the streets towards Seventh Heaven.

The week that followed his battle with Sephiroth and his remnants had seen his life change for the better. Now that his mind was clear of guilt over Aerith's death he began to ponder the feelings he held for Tifa. He had always considered her his close friend, however ever since he was able to walk and talk with a conscience and a mind free of guilt and self-remorse he couldn't help but feel something else for his childhood friend, something more than just friendship.  
At first they were small random thoughts, for instance whenever she had a strand of her long dark hair lying carelessly across her face he had a strong urge to gently push it behind her ear, or the urge to clobber the customers at the bar who stared at her lewdly.  
Over time however, these feelings grew, whenever she was in the room he would suddenly become clumsy and awkward, whenever they touched no matter how innocent, or coincidental it may seem, the brief contact never failed to send a spark of electricity shooting through him. Whenever he looked into her beautiful dark eyes his heart would suddenly go into overdrive, whenever she laughed he wanted to laugh to and whenever she was frustrated….well needless to say he didn't like her being frustrated or angry and sad for that matter.

Cloud had at first been confused about these feelings. What were these feelings? Where did they come from? However the more he thought about it the more he was convinced that these feelings didn't come overnight. They had always been there beneath the surface. It was a conclusion he did not readily accept but he accepted it nevertheless.

Beneath all the guilt and the sadness that he lost himself into, a little part of him always loved Tifa Lockheart.

He had first been indifferent to these feelings afraid that Tifa had no interest in him, she had certainly given him no clue that she returned his feelings. However, it did not prevent he his feelings from bubbling to the surface in small ways, such as helping her out in the bar when the place was full, and after hours when it was empty and a lot of cleaning was needed. He would smiled at her every morning, to show he was glad to see her, and in return his heart would do a somersault when she gave a smile in return. One time he had even made her a cup of coffee and her smile and grateful 'Thanks' was all that was needed to send his heart reeling into overdrive. In time however these feelings began to grow, and it came to a point where he was simply ready to burst.

That morning as heard her causal 'Good Morning' he had decided that he could not take it anymore. He was going to tell her tonight, he was ready to tell her just how much he loved her.

It was late when he finally pulled up into the garage of Seventh Heaven and he inwardly growled at himself. Cloud despised being late, as he looked to make up for the time he wasn't around when he had Geostigma. He dismounted his bike and undid the straps that held Apocalypse.

As he did this, Cloud looked up sharply; somewhere from within the house he could hear laughter. He smiled as he recognised the laughter that belonged to Tifa. His mako enhanced ears picked up whispering, it came to him weak and fuzzy, but he was able to distinguish two voices.

Who was Tifa talking to?

The bar was closed, so that meant that there couldn't be any late night stragglers, it couldn't be Marlene or Denzel as they were both with Barret for the weekend, and he was certain that had it been one of the members of AVALANCHE he would have known in advance.

So who was it?

He could hear laughter once again. Frowning Cloud quietly opened the door to the garage that led him into the bar and apartment where he lived. The corridor was pitched dark, not a single light was on. Cloud was not surprised to see this, for Tifa normally never left the lights on unless she was awake, as she knew that Cloud didn't need the light to navigate through the passage, but Cloud could still hear voices. They were more distinguished this time though they were soft spoken. The blonde warrior stealthily navigated his way through the corridor, listening intently as he did so. As he made his way towards the entrance to the bar he noticed a weak light reflected off the walls.

_So Tifa's awake _thought Cloud _But wouldn't she turn on any proper lights?_

Not knowing what to expect, Cloud made his way towards the entrance and peered around the bar, and froze at what he saw.

Candles lit every desk in the bar casting a weak, orange glow over the walls. Soft music floated serenely and peacefully through the air filling every inch of the room. One particular table was lighted by a tall candlestand which revealed two sparkling plates with what looked to be exquisite but half eaten cuisines on them. A bottle of red wine was sitting dead centre on the table, but Cloud failed to notice any of these details, because his eyes were glued to one horrifying sight. Tifa was dancing serenely to the music with a look of content on her face, but she was not alone. Cloud watched in horror as the woman he had loved since he was ten-years-old wrap her smooth arms around a man with unruly red hair and a long ponytail.

Cloud could only stare in horror as he felt his heart constrict and his throat well up, as Reno wrapped his arms around Tifa's waist with a smirk on his face. Every fibre in Cloud's body was screaming at him to grab Apocalypse from the garage and hack Reno to pieces, but he just stood there unable to move or speak.

_No _he thought to himself, horrified _This can't be happening. _

The two remained oblivious to Cloud's presence and he watched with horror as Reno's hands suddenly travelled down Tifa's back like pair of snakes and groped her buttocks. Anger, jealousy and disgust burst out of Cloud like a fierce river breaking through a dam.

"RENO!" he roared "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE!!"

Tifa jumped in surprise, not only because of the loud voice but also because of Reno's uninvited actions. She turned around her eyes wide with shock.

"Cloud!" she said "I-"

Cloud rounded on Tifa, who had the sense to detach herself from the redheaded Turk.

"What is _he_?" he hissed angrily, pointing at Reno "Doing here?"

Tifa let out a loud sigh and brought her hands to her forehead a clear sign of her distress, while Cloud waited breathing hard like a bull before it charged, Reno had slinked into a corner with a smirk on his face.

"Cloud-" stared Tifa, but was cut off.

"It doesn't matter" said the blonde warrior, who did not want to hear the reason why Reno was uncomfortably close to Tifa. "Cause he's leaving"

With those words he strode towards Reno and grabbed him roughly by the collar.

"Hey!" yelled the Turk "This suit cost 4000 gil!"

"I don't-" started Cloud but was cut off by Tifa.

"Cloud let go off Reno. NOW!"

Cloud turned towards her and stopped pulling Reno, though he did not let go. Tifa took a deep breath to calm herself, when she looked up into Cloud's eyes he could see a great deal of sadness and apprehension.

"Cloud" she whispered "There's something I have to tell you"

"Tifa" he whispered, and his tone almost broke Tifa's heart "Don't tell me that…it's not"

"I'm sorry Cloud" said Tifa, she approached her childhood friend and placed her hands on his shoulder "I never wanted you to find out this way"

Cloud gazed into the depth of Tifa's chocolate brown eyes, as if probing her soul, looking for an answer that would never come, Tifa returned his gaze with an equal intensity, hoping to convey all that she hoped to tell him without having to say it. The two stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity, and for a moment Reno and the entire room disappeared as the two communicated the only way two people with an intimate bond could..

"I- Me and Reno" she said softly, breaking the awkward silence "We've been dating for awhile now"

Cloud could feel himself shaking his head, he didn't want to know, he didn't want details, but suddenly he heard a voice in his head.

_Listen to her Cloud, just listen to her, you can still fix this if you just listen to her _

"It all started when you left" said Tifa, who had not taken her hands off his shoulders "When you left without telling me about your Geostigma….and you didn't pick up your phone no matter how many times I called. I -"

She paused and took a deep breath, as if reliving painful memories.

"I didn't know what I felt" she said "I was angry, I was hurt, I was worried….I felt like I was drowning and nobody could save me"

_This is my fault _thought Cloud, disillusion creeping through his body like a virus _All this is my fault _

"But then Reno came" she said, and she acknowledged him with a small smile.

"He was there for me" continued Tifa, turning her eyes back to Cloud "I talked and he listened…it was comforting"

_No! No! _Thought Cloud, desperately _All this is because of me _

"We grew close" she said "And when you came back…I was so glad that you did-"

"Don't!" growled Cloud, shaking his head, he didn't want to hear anymore, he _couldn't _hear anymore "Not another word"

"But Cloud" said Tifa her eyes wide "There's something else I must tell you"

"I don't want to hear it" said Cloud, trying his best to keep his tone under control. "I don't want to hear how my actions pushed you towards that....that asshole!"

"Hey" said Reno, stepping out of the shadows "Look man, Me and Tifa, we're an item, all right? So why don't you just-"

But exactly what Reno was about to say nobody knew, as Cloud swung his fist and connected with his target with a sickening thud. Reno cried out in surprise as he fell to the floor.

"Reno!" cried Tifa, and Cloud's heart ached at the concern in her voice.

She flew to Reno's side as he perched himself on his elbows. From her kneeling position beside the red-haired Turk she glared up at Cloud her eyes flashing with anger.

"How dare you!" she hissed angrily.

"You don't know what he's like Tifa!" said Cloud loudly and angrily "He's a Turk, he works for Shinra"

"The past is the past Cloud" said Tifa, loudly and angrily "And you need to stop living in it"

"He doesn't love you" said Cloud, trying desperately to make Tifa see the truth "He doesn't give a-"

"I'M NOT THE ONE WHO LEFT HER!" roared Reno suddenly.

Tifa kept a firm hand on his chest. Cloud growled aggresively as he clenched his fists in anger, just itching to swing it at Reno again, had it not been for Tifa' presence he would have clobbered the Turk to bits.

"Tifa" he said, desperately and he could see the anger in her eyes as she glared up at him "He just wants to get into your pants"

"Oh really!" said Tifa rising up in defiance "Well Cloud! Reno and I are going to be married soon so he can climb into my pants anytime wants!"

Those words rammed at Cloud's heart harder than any cannon by the Shinra company could have. He backed away from the couple slowly, unable to believe Tifa' words.

"I-"

What was he going to say, what _could_ he say?

"I-"

Tifa immediately looked to regret her words "Cloud" she whispered, and he could see tears welling up in her eyes.

His heart ached when he saw those tears, he didn't want to make her cry, but wasn't she the one who hurt him?

"I" Suddenly vivid images of Tifa and Reno rolling around a bed with moans of ecstasy filling the air came to his mind. "I can't be here to watch you make the biggest mistake of your life" he said.

With those words he turned and bolted towards the entrance of the bar.

"Cloud!"

He didn't stop, he couldn't stay here not after what he had heard and seen tonight. He ran into the garage, grabbed Apocalypse, mounted Fenrir and kicked it to life. He hastily tore out of the garage and out of Seventh Heaven.

Tifa could do nothing but stare at the spot where Cloud had been only seconds ago, she closed her eyes as tears threatened to spill out. She did not want Cloud to find out this way, she had wanted to talk to him alone, make him understand that she was in love with a man who was once their enemy and that she would always value their friendship no matter what. However, her plans went out the window, when Reno arrived around dusk with a bottle of wine, and Tifa who was determined to make the most of her time with him, had set up the candles in the bar and the dinner. The food was exquisite and delicious, yet despite her efforts Reno had still outdone her, when he got down on one knee and proposed to her. The martial artist was happy to oblige to his proposal and had been dancing with him. The couple had lost track of time, completely forgetting about the blonde man who would show up any minute.

She sighed as she rubbed her eyes thoroughly.

"So" came Reno's voice from behind her, and she turned around to look at him.

Blood was pouring from the redhead's mouth but it did nothing to deter the smirk that creeped across his face.

"Do I really get to get into your pants anytime I want?"

Tifa gave a light smile, as she walked over to him and helped him to his feet. "Come on" she said, quietly "Let's get your mouth cleaned up"

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**A/N: The second chapter is done! I hope I didn't introduce Tifa's engagement to hastily, and I certainly hope that I got Cloud's reaction right! What do you guys think? Was I true to the characters? Was the chapter dramatic enough? Let me know when you review!!!!! **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I want to apologise for taking so long to update this chapter. First there was the christmas and new year holidays, and now my computer is busted. I've been typing this chapter in my school computer lab. and I uploaded this chapter in an internet cafe. Next chapter wouldn't be up for a while. **

**I also would like to thank all the people who have reviewed and showed an interest in my story. **

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Chapter 3

Tifa growled in frustration, as she roughly shoved aside the recipe for a new drink that she had been writing down. She glanced anxiously at the clock, and then at the phone. It had been two days since Cloud had left, and she still had no clue as to where he might be. Tifa had tried to call him on his PHS even though she knew he wouldn't answer, when that failed she alerted friends from AVALANCHE in the hopes that they might have found or at least seen him. Tifa was sick to death with worry, and she was strongly reminded of the time when Cloud had left without telling her why. Even now, she could still recall her apprehension, the fear, the possible reasons he could have had for leaving them.

Suddenly, the phone rang and she jumped up to answer it.

"Did you find him?" she asked, hope and desperation etched into her voice.

"Find who?" came the reply from the other end.

Tifa sighed, as she recognised the voice on the other end. It was Reno.

"Hey listen babe" said Reno, not waiting for an answer "I was thinking….we should have the wedding as soon as possible like….next week?"

"Next week!" exclaimed Tifa, clearly surprised "Uhh"

Her eyes wondered around the pantry, as she contemplated her decision.

"Yeah, I was thinking" continued Reno "If we wait too long, your friends might find ways to cause trouble and disrupt our wedding"

If Tifa had been listening to Reno's reasoning, she probably would have agree with him, however, her eyes had caught something made her breath hitch. Stuck to the fridge, due to magnets, was a drawing that Marlene and Denzel had put together. The drawing was simple; it consisted of the four of them against a backdrop of green hills and blue skies. Tifa's eyes were glued to the way she and Cloud were drawn, holding hands as if they were a couple.

"Babe? You there?"

"Umm" stammered Tifa, unable to get her eyes of the drawing "Can I call you back Reno?"

A moment of silence before…

"Sure"

Tifa kept the phone down, still unable to get her eyes off the drawing.

_That picture looks so….right _She immediately shook her head at the thought. _Calm down Tifa _she told herself, sternly _It's just a drawing. _

She immediately went up stairs, with the intent of taking a shower, but stopped outside Cloud's office and looked in. On any other day, the room would have been alive with the sound of animated chatter, as the children helped Cloud to plan out his routes for his deliveries the next day. She smiled wistfully, as she caught sight of the two-framed photographs, which were taken not too long ago.  
She entered the office, before taking the first photograph into her hands. It was taken soon after Denzel had moved in, Tifa couldn't keep her eyes off Cloud and how he was standing slightly apart from the rest of the family. Had he contracted Geostigma by that time? Was he just being his usual self, not too keen on showing his affection?  
Tifa smiled to herself, she picked up the second photograph. This one was taken shortly after Cloud had defeated Sepiorth, and it consisted of the rest of AVALANCHE. She smiled as she saw how snug Marlene looked in Barret's arms, Cid with his hands raised in the air in celebration, Vincent in his usual gloomy demeanour, Yuffie her face right in front of the camera.  
Tifa's eyes came back to Cloud, he was definitely different in this photo. He was wearing a handsome smile, which made Tifa's heart jump and he had placed one arm on Denzel's shoulder while the other was wrapped around her shoulders. Tifa couldn't help but notice how comfortable she looked with Cloud's muscular arm around her. Mentally, she tried to imagine Reno in that same posture. To her surprise she did not find the image as satisfying as she thought it would be, and she hastily banished it, before placing the photo back on the desk.

"Cloud" she whispered, "Where are you?"

Her eyes fell on something familiar and she froze. Gently, she picked it up and examined it closely. It was flower, small and vibrant yellow. There was only one place where these sort of flowers could be.

_The church _she thought to herself _How could I have been so stupid? _

Without a second's hesitation, she ran out of the room, grabbed her PHS, as well as the keys to the bar, before taking off into the early hours of the morning. She was determined to find Cloud.

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Reno looked up from his drink, as he gazed at the attractive woman, sitting further down the bar, with a lewd eye. The woman was wearing a tight red dress, which revealed the shape of her curves, and Reno was having a difficult time taking his eyes off of her. Not that the woman seemed to mind, she was in fact encouraging the red- head's flirtatious looks by sucking on an olive in a teasing and succulent manner. Reno stared on wide-eyed, and would have remained oblivious to the woman approaching him if it weren't for his partner next to him.

"Reno" he hissed in warning, Reno reluctantly tore his eyes of the blonde and turned his attention towards the approaching brunette.

He smirked at the girl, as she came right up to him,

"Hey Reno" said the woman.

"It's been too long Cathy" he purred gently, into her ear "I've been thinking about you" he continued, in a husky tone "A lot".

The woman called Cathy, smiled with a flirtatious twinkle in her eye before nesting herself between his legs, Reno hummed in approval.

"Where have you been?" she asked, in a tone of deceptive innocence

"I haven't seen you since the night we…" she trailed off, stroking Reno's cheek with her finger.

Reno's smirk did not budge an inch, as he came back with his response.

"I've been busy" he said "You know, work"

The couple were too embroiled in one another to notice Rude's laugh, cleverly disguised as a cough.

"Out of town?"

"Edge" he said, his smirk widened even further as a thought entered his head.

"I have to go back in a few days" he said, "I suggest we make the most of our time…"

Cathy smiled; clearly responsive to the idea, "Then why don't we get out of here?" she whispered huskily, her finger twirling the button of his shirt. Reno smiled as he got up from his chair, and turned to Rude.

"I'll be back in a few hours" he whispered,

"Reno" said Rude sharply, and leant in closer, his eyebrows knitted into a frown behind his sunglasses.

"Aren't you an engaged man," he hissed, so that Cathy would not hear "With a fiancé in Edge?"

"I know" whispered Reno, "That's why I'll be busy tonight…need to relish my last few days of bachelorhood" ]

Do you think you can stop this when you are married?" persisted Rude "Can you remain faithful to Tifa for the rest of your life?"

The look that Reno gave his partner was cold and stoic. Without another word he turned to the woman who was waiting for him.

"Let's go babe" he said.

Rude could only watch helplessly, as Reno left the bar and into the Junon streets, with his escort. Rude sighed as he returned to his drink _That guy is helpless _he thought to himself, as he douched a glass of whiskey. He then looked up from his glass with the intent of ordering another one, only to find that the blonde woman who Reno had been staring at, occupying the seat next to him.

"Finally" she whispered, "I've been waiting for ages for your friend to disappear"

Rude could only smile nervously in reply.

* * *

It was night time when Fenrir could be seen speeding through the streets of Edge. Cloud growled to himself, as he was aware that he had missed a second day of deliveries. His PHS had rang throughout the day, a line of angry customers waiting for him at the other end. _It's not like I can go back _he thought to himself _Not with Tifa there… _His mind trailed off as he refused to complete that train of thought.

As soon as he had left the bar two nights ago, Cloud's first instincts told him to head for Aerith's church. However, he quickly refuted the idea, thinking that it was too obvious a place for Tifa to come looking for him. Bearing this thought in mind, he changed course and left Edge…and found himself heading towards Rocket Town.

_"What! you gotta be shittin' me kiddo"_

"_I wish I were but I'm not. Tifa's engaged to Reno… and stop calling me kiddo" _

"_That freakin' tomato head? Out of all the men she could have she chooses that dick shit!!??" _

"_Cloud" _It was Shera _"What are you going to do?" _

"_What do you mean?"_

"_Surely you're going to stop this? I don't know this Reno personally but from what I hear from both of you he doesn't seem to be the type to make commitments" _

"_I really don't know what to do. I already told her that she can't trust him but she won't listen" _

"_That ain't good enough" interrupted Cid "You have to do more!!" _

"_Then why don't you suggest something instead of sitting there yelling your head off!"_

"_Cid's right" _added Shera _"You'll have to….improvise" _she said, giving Cloud a knowing wink.

Improvise! What did Shera mean by that?

"Improvise" murmured Cloud, angrily "Just a little more information and I'll improvise all you want"

It wasn't too long before Cloud found himself on the highway where only weeks ago he battled Kadaj and his brothers. He was fully aware of where he was going; it had always been a building where he was able to hide, where he was able to seek refuge. However, this time he wasn't looking to seek refuge from himself, he was seeking refuge from the woman he loved.

Cloud had been with Cid and Shera for a couple of hours, when they heard the phone the ringing.

_"That was Tifa, Cloud she's looking for you…she sounded really worried"_

_"…"_

"_That's it?" _snapped Cid

"_What?"_

"_You just gonna let her marry that selfish prick and get her heart broken!" _

"_This isn't simple Cid shoving my sword up Reno's ass won't solve the problem!" _

"_Cid's right" _interrupted Shera _"You haven't done everything you could do. Because if you did. It would be you Tifa would be marrying not Reno" _

"_What?"_

"_What!"_

"_You heard me" she said, and she made her way to the exit of the room, for rhetorical effect more than anything else. _

_Cid turned towards Cloud, chewing his cigarette in his anger. _

"_Cid not…" _

"_Ya shutup and listen kiddo" snapped Cid, "Tifa's a special girl and she deserves a man who is willing to fight for her and If you ain't willing to do that then the redhead's already won" _

Those were the last words Cid spoke to him before walking out of the room. Cloud allowed the cool wind to whip his hair, as he drove to the cluttered mess of metal that was once known as Sector 5. Cid's words circulated through his mind as he approached the church. Cloud knew that Cid and Shera was right, that he would have to do more in order to win Tifa, but what was he to do? What could he say? What could he do?

Cloud stopped the bike as he approached the church. He cut off the engine, and the loud roar of Fenrir died out. Cloud cast his blue eyes, up at run down building before him. The church if possible looked even more derelict and rundown than ever before. Cloud could see pieces of the stonewall falling from the structure. The roof was all but completely desecrated with a massive pillar sticking out of it. Cloud sighed, it wasn't as cosy as his apartment but it would have to do. He slowly made his way towards the entrance and he couldn't help but grimace. The last time he had made his way through the double doors, he had walked in to find Tifa unconscious in the flowerbed. Cloud could still recall, the shock he felt when he first saw her, the fear he felt as she initially did not respond, his relief when she spoke.

_"You're late"_

Those were the first words she spoke as she revived. When she had spoken those words she had been referring to the time when he had left, but now Cloud couldn't help but think that those words still carried some weight when it came to their current relationship.

Cloud walked up to the double doors with the intention of pushing them back, to find one of the doors already open.

_Who could be in here? _He thought to himself, Cloud cautiously stepped inside.

The church was dark, damp and cold as he walked in. Cloud peered around and noticed a huddled form, lying on the other side of the church. He frowned, both curious and apprehensive. If it were another Denzel-like figure, homeless and desolate he would have to leave him or her here. _He _was homeless and at the moment extremely desolate. He cautiously approached the figure, intent on finding out who it was. As he walked, a brilliant beam of moonlight suddenly pierced the church, illuminating the dusty, woody floor. Like a creeping monster, it approached the figure, who, Cloud noticed, was curled up rather uncomfortably on the hard floor. The moonlight illuminated the sleeping figure and Cloud stopped dead in his tracks in shock. It was Tifa.

Cloud stared at the sleeping form of Tifa, uncertain of what to do or sat. He stood rooted to the spot, helplessly paralysed by the myriad emotions running through him, at the sight of the sleeping woman before him. Joy, relief, dread and anger clashed in ugly and soul-wrenching battles for dominance. Cloud was immensely glad to see Tifa after two days of deliberately avoiding her, yet at the same time, he wasn't ready to meet her again, not when he had little or no clue about what to do or say about his complicated situation. As Cloud stared on at the sleeping woman across from him, he could feel concern creep into him. Tifa's limbs were spread out in an awkward manner, in an attempt to get comfortable, with her head nodding off to her left shoulder she looked utterly disjointed. Thinking that her comfort should come before his feelings, he slowly approached her. Tifa lay on the other side of the church, near the pool of water, her back against the wall. Cloud could feel a sense of déjà vu, as he listened to the slow _clunk clunk _of his boots against the rotting wooden floor. He approached Tifa, and knelt before her with the intention of gently waking her up, something however held him back.

Tifa's long dark hair, usually smooth and straight, lay in a tangled mess across her face. Peering intently, Cloud could see the first signs of dark circles forming around her eyes. Her usually clean clothes, were dusty from her surroundings. To any person, Tifa Lockheart was a mess, but to Cloud Strife she was the most beautiful person in the world.

Mesmerized, Cloud gently raised his hand towards her face, and gently brushed aside her tangled hair. As he did so, he could feel a spark electricity jolt his fingers and travel down his arm. Surprised, but not alarmed, Cloud gently withdrew his fingers.

A soft whimper caught his attention and he looked up, Tifa was stirring.

Cloud's heart immediately went into overdrive, as Tifa opened her weary eyes. She cast them around the moonlit church before settling them on the man before her.

"Hey" she whispered, in a slightly hoarse voice.

"Hey" said Cloud, nodding.

An awkward pause followed the seemingly causal greeting. Cloud couldn't help but stare, tooo move or say anything. It was Tifa who finally broke the silence, she groaned softly. Cloud sensing her discomfort, immediately got to his feet, and held out his hand. Tifa looked up, with an expression that Cloud that she was both surprised and confused.

"Thanks" she said, meekly, taking the proffered hand.

She stretched, while Cloud stood where he was. Finally she brought her eyes to his, and Cloud couldn't help but notice that her brown eyes held a ruby glint, that sparkled in the moonlight.

"Will you be coming home anytime soon?" asked Tifa, in a small voice.

At the mention of the word 'home' by Tifa, Cloud's heart leapt into his throat, he found himself shaking his head nervously.

"Not tonight" he murmured, _Or any other night for that matter _he thought to himself

"Not when-" he trailed off leaving the sentence dangling, Tifa however, seemed to have understood.

She bowed her head, to hide her downcast expression.

"Oh" she murmured.

Cloud glanced around, hoping for a distraction. He turned away, and began to walk towards the pool of water. Merely a fortnight ago, it had been a bloom of flowers, until it had burst into a fountain of purifying water that was able to cleanse people of Geostigma. Cloud sighed, as he recalled seeing two people walk out of the church minutes after he was healed. Behind him, Tifa was gazing at him, a mixture of concern and exasperation on her face.

"What are you thinking about Cloud?"

"Why are you here Tifa?" asked Cloud, turning around to face her "And how long have you been here?"

"This morning I found the flowers from here in your office" said Tifa "So I came here and waited..."

"You were here the whole day?" asked Cloud, surprised.

Tifa's eyes widened as if she had just realized this herself.

She quickly shook her head before saying "Good night Cloud. I hope you come home soon"

"You expect me to come back with Reno moving in?" snapped Cloud, his temper getting the better of him.

Tifa sighed, not knowing what else to say, she opted for leaving the church. Cloud listened, to the soft _plod, plod _of her shoes against the wooden floor, feeling both relief and disappointment, at her departure. Suddenly, he heard a soft laughter, and he looked up surprised. He was in no mood to laugh, and he was pretty certain that Tifa's mood wasn't exactly peppy either. The laughter came again, Cloud spun around wildly, alarmed at the familiarity of that laugh. Instinctively, he turned towards the retreating back of Tifa.

"Did you hear that?" he asked, before he could stop himself.

Tifa turned around, with a confused look on her face "Hear what?"

_"You are so stupid man!" _

Cloud nearly gawked at the sound of the voice,

_'Zack?' _

_"She's been waiting for you the __whole day __man! Get the damn clue! Think!" _

Cloud thought about it. He thought about how Tifa had been waiting for him the whole day.

_"Only someone who really, really cares about you would wait the whole day in a smelly, grimy, dusty church"_

Frowning, Cloud's mind took him to earlier in the day when he heard Shera's cryptic words and Cid's advice.

_"Are you really telling me you didn't get it yet! Jeez your dumber than I thought!" _

_"Zack!" _It was a third voice, once again familiar, but this time it was feminine.

_"What! Just being honest!"_

Then suddenly it hit Cloud like a bolt of lightening. He growled aggressively to himself as he looked up. Tifa was still looking at him, with a look of concern on her face. He would be damned if Reno was going to get the girl he loved.

"Cloud?" asked Tifa, unsure "Are you okay?"

"Tifa" said Cloud, and there was a certain intensity in his voice "Why are you marrying him?"

Tifa's face temporarily blanched, before it scrunched up into a look of anxiety.

"Cloud" she said "Let's not-"

"Tifa" said Cloud "He doesn't-"

"Cloud stop it!" snapped Tifa, losing her patience completely "Why is it that you feel the need to hate Reno!"

Without saying a word, Cloud began to advance upon Tifa, who continued to berate him "I keep telling you to move on with your life but you just don't! What is it with you? Do you feel the need to drag everyone done into your 'doom and gloom' attitude with you?"

Not heeding a single word Tifa was saying, Cloud walked up to her, cupped her face in his hands, and kissed her. For a moment, Tifa responded with the same amount of passion as Cloud's, she wrapped her arms around her neck, as Cloud wrapped his arms around her waist.

Suddenly, Tifa' senses came screaming back into control, letting go of Cloud she shoved roughly, before raising her arm and slapping across the face. Hard.

Tifa panted as if she had just run a mile, Cloud continued to gaze into Tifa's eyes, ignoring the stinging sensation that burned his cheek.

"Tifa…"

"Don't" she whispered "Don't do this to me"

"Do what?" asked Cloud, confused "Tifa I'm trying to tell you that I-"

"I know Cloud" whispered Tifa, like she was emotionally devastated "I know exactly what you are trying to say"

"But"

"I can't Cloud" she whispered, she was backing away, inching towards the double doors "Not after what I went through after you left"

"Tifa I'm not"

"It took me so long to get over you" said Tifa, "And I can't go through all that again"

"Tif"

"I think it's best that we don't see each other for awhile"

And with that, she turned and bolted through the door.

"Tifa!" cried out Cloud, but to no avail . He stared at the open doors, which allowed a cold gust of wind to blow it's away into the rundown church. Cloud had never felt more devastated than at that moment. He closed his eyes, relishing the feel of Tifa's lips against his, the heat that coursed between them, was this the only time he would get close to Tifa, his only taste of heaven.

Cloud growled, running his fingers through his hair, resisting the urge to pull it. Why did he wait so long? Why did he leave in the first place? His departure was what started this whole mess with Reno.

_"Man you are knee-deep in shit" _came the familiar voice,

Cloud could literally feel Zack's smirk. "Shut up Zack" growled Cloud.

With those words, Cloud collapsed onto the floor, leaning his back against the wall, defeated and not knowing what else to do.

* * *

Outside the church, Tifa was taking huge gulps of air, determined to slow down her heart beat, her mind struggling to register what had just taken place only minutes ago. Panting gently, she raised a finger to her lips, and gently traced the outline of the soft, delicate flesh. Had Cloud really kissed her? And did she just kiss him back as if he were her boyfriend?

Tifa sighed and sadly shook her head, had two years in which to make a move, but he had chosen to spend that time moping over Aerith's death, for two years she had to watch helplessly as Cloud sank deeper and deeper into his depression, painfully oblivious to the good things he had in his life, painfully aware of the bad things that had happened in his life. Images of the blonde warrior flashed through her mind, and Tifa could feel tears trickle down her cheeks.  
Had Cloud made his move two years ago, or maybe even two months ago, Tifa would have responded, but things were different now, after years of watching from the sidelines, she had finally learnt to move on. She had found a man who was willing to give her, what she had once craved for from Cloud.

"You're too late Cloud" she whispered, the tears freely flowing from her face."You're just too late"

Just as she said those words, she could hear her PHS ring, desperate for a distraction she grabbed her phone, and flipped it open.

"Hello?"

"Hey babe" came the familiar drawl of Reno, "So, did you think about it?"

"About what?" she asked, completely puzzled.

"About getting married next week" "You know…simple wedding, nothing fancy…I mean why wait?"

Tifa turned towards the church, where she was certain Cloud was still in. It was best if she for both of them if she tried to stay away from him as much as possible, and there was only one way to do it. She turned away from the church, prepared to give her answer.

"Fine" she said "Let's do it"

* * *

**A/N: Sorry, if there are any spelling and grammar mistakes, didn't have time to proof read. Don't let that stop you from reviewing thought!!!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Sorry it took so long to update. I had some serious login issues for these past couple days. I hope you enjoy this chapter as you did the last one. **

**I would also like to thank LOstGirlz, Aziza-Chan, Sigbru, Roxors, vx-Luna-xv, XDjABC, tresa for their reviews. They were all apprecited, and I hope you enjoy this chapter. **

* * *

**Chapter 4**

* * *

Sunlight filtered its way through the broken roof of the church, illuminating it's derelict interior with unashamed aplomb. Many of the pillars were either broken off at the base or crumbling due to neglect, barely holding off the ceiling from a rotting wooden floor. The lake of water continued to glisten like a crystal in the dark depths of a cave.  
Cloud Strife panted aggressively, sweat pouring down his face, as he vigorously pushed himself off the wooden floor. His arms were screaming with exhaustion, but Cloud didn't seem to notice, he was too frustrated, too angry to feel or bother about anything else. He continued to curse himself as he exercised, as had been his routine for the past two days.

"Stupid…how…could I…be…so" Cloud growled to himself.

"You know, I think it's all my fault" came a voice.

Cloud looked up, and stared, trying his best to take in the person standing not to far from him,

"Zack?" he whispered, his eyes widening with shock.

Zack was standing in a corner of the church, leaning against the wall, looking away from his friend. Evne though he had been dead for three years, looked as solid and alive as his dul surroundings. Cloud noticed that he was wearing his purple SOLIDER uniform and he smirked.

"Don't you get a change of clothes in the Lifestream?"

"I should have taken you to a bar or two when we travelled together" he said, and even though he seemed to be talking to Cloud, he wasn't facing him. "That way would have gotten to know more women and not be the CLUELESS IDIOT YOU ARE!!!" he yelled the last few words at Cloud's face, and the blonde warrior stumbled back in surprise.

Zack glared at him with his glowing blue eyes, Cloud glared back annoyed and confused.

"Well?"

"Well, what?"

"You're just going to sit there and work out while Tifa is gonna marrying some jerk off?"

The words were like a knife twisting through Cloud's heart, he bit back a bitter response and simply laid down on the floor and started to do crunches. Cloud could hear footsteps and then Zack's face popped into view, obscuring his view of the ceiling.

"Well?"

Cloud glared at his friend.

"She said I was too late" he said, as if that answered everything.

Zack groaned, smacking his forehead.

"Man! What am I gonna do with you?"

"What?"

"You're suppose to prove yourself!" cried out Zack, as if he were explaining things to a two-year-old.

"Prove myself?" repeated Cloud.

Zack growled with frustration. "You know it's time like this I wish I was still alive…so that I could kick your ass!!" he snapped.

Cloud shrugged indifferently, as if his best friend coming back from the dead and threatening a serious beating was a daily occurence. Zack growled angrily.

"And stop doing those crunches!"

The sudden force behind his words caused Cloud to stop and stare.

"Listen to me," said Zack, kneeling on the floor so that he was face-to-face with his friend.

"You broke Tifa's heart once when you ran away. D you really want to ruin _any _chance you have by running away again?"

Cloud ran a hand through his hair clearly frustrated. When he did respond, however, it was with a soft clear voice.

"I don't know what to do Zack" he murmured "I've done everything I-"

"No" cut off Zack firmly "You didn't"

Cloud looked at him "Why does everyone keep saying that to me?"

"Cause you're complete idiot who doesn't get shit!" said Zack, "Look, all you have to do is just ask yourself these questions. What does Tifa want?"

Cloud frowned in thought. His mind wondered to the time when they first opened Seventh Heaven. Tifa had been so excited at the prospect of Marlene living with the two of them, he then recalled how Tifa willingly took Denzel in, and without hesitation. Raising him with the same amount of affection she gave Marlene, believing just has much as Cloud did that Aerith had sent him to them.

"She wants a family" said Cloud, softly. "She wants _us _to be a family"

"And can you do that?" asked Zack. "Can you give yourself to Tifa? Can you be there for her whenever she needs you? Can you love her? Can you cherish her? For the rest of your life?"

Cloud gazed into Zack's blue eyes, before turning away and thinking about his friend's words. Suddenly, he smiled.

"Yeah" he said. "I think I can do that"

When he said those words, it was as if a dam had been broken, he could feel warmth and relief course through his body, the cold, restlessness washed away at his new found discovery. He loved Tifa, and he wanted to spend the rest of his life loving her, and he wasn't going to let anyone stand in the way.

"I figured you'd be here" came a voice.

The familiar drawl was enough to set Cloud on edge, he clenched his fists in anger and turned around.

Reno was standing in the church. His vivid red hair stood out against the darkness of thedull building.

He glanced around with a look of pure disdain on his face.

"Jeez" he murmured "I can't believe you ditched Tifa's place…for this"

Cloud growled aggressively, just itching to hit the man.

"Get out" he hissed, "Unless you want me to break your jaw...again"

"Easy man" said Reno with a small laugh, though Cloud could see that he had taken the precaution to keep his electric rod at hand. He also so noticed that Zack had mysteriously disappeared.

"Why are you here?" asked Cloud, wishing he had one of his swords with him.

"To give you something" came the smooth reply.

Reno carefully walked up to Cloud, and pulled something from his pocket. He held it out for Cloud, when he didn't move, Reno sighed.

"It isn't going to kill you. Just take it"

Reluctantly, Cloud took the offered envelope to his hand, and pulled out a small card. What was written on the card stunned him.

_We humbly invite you to witness the special and joyous union of _

_Tifa Lockheart_

_And _

_Reno Quinton Cook _

_As they join hands in matrimony. _

Cloud's eyes lifted from the gold writing and glared at Reno.

"Why the hell are you giving me this?" he said, hiding his anger and confusion.

Reno smirked in response, "I'm not doing this out of generosity" he said, "I'm doing it to make a point"

He paused to let the words sink in.

Cloud didn't move or speak, so he continued.

"When you see Tifa, looking hot, in her beautiful wedding dress, when you see her walk past you and towards _me, _her eyes on_ me _with a smile on her face, as we exchange our vows. I want you to look up at and stare at what you lost and what you were foolish enough to walk away from"

If looks could kill, Reno would have had a hole drilled through his chest. Cloud was just itching to stick one of his swords right through his face.

"Get out" he hissed, crushing the invitation in his fist.

Reno turned and walked away, his footsteps making dull noises against the wooden floor, at the exit he turned back to Cloud with a malicious grin on his face.

"You may have saved the world Cloud," he said "But I got the girl"

Leaving those awkward, but seemingly truthful words in the air, Reno lift the chruch. Leaving Cloud to his tormented thoughts.

* * *

Once outside the church, Reno immediately flipped on his phone and dialled a number. He waited patiently as the phone rang, finally he could hear a voice.

"Reno?"

"Done" he said.

"Then it's settled" said the voice, on the other end "They'll be here tonight"

"Good. Make sure to post them at all entrances of the chapel"

"No worries Reno. Are you sure Tifa wouldn't be at the bar tonight?"

"Positive. Cloud will have no choice but to talk to her in the chapel"

"And we'll be ready when he arrives"

"Good" said Reno "You know I really do appreciate this-"

"You don't need to say it" cut off the other voice.

Reno nodded and closed his phone, he then began to descend the stairs of the church. He couldn't help but smirk as he let out a low whistle,in a few days he would be marrying the hottest woman in Edge...life couldn't get any better.

* * *

Cloud growled as he watched Reno leave, closing the doors of the church behind him. He turned away from the entrance ready to throw a tantrum when he saw something blinking. It was his PHS.  
He hastily made his way to the small pile that consisted of his cloak and phone, and flipped it open. It was a message from Tifa, he growled to himself. Was she inviting him to the wedding too? Were they both playing this sick game together? Angry but curious, Cloud pressed a button on the phone, and a familiar voice came through.

_"Cloud it's me"._

It was the voice of an angel, Cloud's breath caught in his throat, he could feel his heart beatrate double.

What did she want to say?

"_I don't expect you to pick up._ _I just hope you're listening to this"_

* * *

The previous day….

_"I keep telling you to move on with your life but you just don't! What is it with you? Do you feel the need to drag everyone done into your 'doom and gloom' attitude with you?"_

_Without saying a word Cloud went up to her and kissed her, mashing her lips with his own. His hands slid around her waist and closed what little space left between them. His tongue slid out, caressing her lips, pleading her to open up to him. Tifa moaned into the kiss as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Her lips parted granting him permission and he did not hesitate, his tongue ravaged __her mouth, gently sucking on her tongue. Gasping for air Tifa gently… reluctantly pulled away. She whispered his name like it was a hallowed spell. He growled with approval as he lowered his head and began to caress her smooth neck with his soft lips. She sighed with approval and tipped her head back to give him more access. His lips left a trail of fire blazing down her neck, his hands snaked their way around her waist towards her zipper….She cried out as he began to nip the nape of her neck sending pleasure pulsing through her body. _

_"Cloud" she gasped._

_She lowered her head and gazed into the depths of his glowing orbs, she wanted to be lost in them forever. "Tifa" he whispered. _

_"Cloud" she moaned softly "Don't stop"_

_"Tifa" it was Cloud, his deep voice sent jitters through her heart._

_"Why are you marrying him?" _

_Tifa stared, not knowing what to say. The heat radiated from him as Cloud hugged her tighter. _

_"Don't do it" he whispered. _

_She stared into those blue eyes, not knowing what to do or say. _

_"Tifa!" It was the voice of a young boy. She instantly recongised the voice, and turned around in Cloud's arms. Only to gasp in shock and horro at what she saw. _

_Denzel_ _was standing in the middle of the church, his face was ghostly pale and clashed hideously with the crimson red blood that trailed down his forehead. He reached out to Tifa with wide eyes. _

_"Tifa! Help me"_

_"Denzel! What happened to you?" cried Tifa in a shirll voice. She turned to Cloud, only to see that he wasn't there, only a black space occupied where he stood. _

_"Cloud" cried Tifa, alarmed. "Cloud, where are you? Denzel is hurt!"_

_Denzel was on his knees, reaching out to Tifa as if she were his life support, he gasped in pain. _

_"Tifa..." he cried in weak voice. "Help..."_

_Blood was pouring freely from his head, panic resonated through Tifa as she ran towards the boy. _

_"Denzel!" _

She woke with a start, panting hard.

Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating a dull but neat bedroom. Standing at the foot of her four-poster bed was a young child with a small smile on his face, Tifa looked at him before smiling brightly.

"Denzel! When did you get back?"

"Marlene's dad brought us home just now" said Denzel, in a nonchalant voice.

His smooth features were creased with a frown, and his shaggy brown hair cascaded over his eyes that were alight with concern. Tifa pulled off her sheets, and sat on the side of her bed, facing Denzel.

"Did you have a good time at Golden Saucer?" she asked, in a false cheery tone. Determined to forget about the dream.

Denzel shrugged "It was nice" he said "There were a lot of cool rides and all but…."

At this point Denzel trailed off and his eyes began to dart to the corners of the room, determined not to complete his sentence.

"But what?" asked Tifa, curious.

Denzel gave her a lop-sided smile and ran a hand through his hair, his actions resembled Cloud so much, Tifa nearly doubled over her bed.

"Denzel" she said his name in a soft but firm voice. "Spit it out"

Denzel looked down and mumbled something indistinguishable. Tifa leant forward.

"Didn't catch that" she whispered.

Denzel opened his mouth once again, and his lips barely moved as he whispered.

"I missed you and Cloud"

His words sounded so sincere that Tifa's heart lurched for the young child. She gave him a bright smile, and opened her arms out to him. Without hesitation Denzel leapt into the hug and wrapped his small arms around Tifa tightly.

"I missed you too Denzel" she whispered into his ear.

She could feel Denzel's shaggy hair dig deep into the nape of her neck, and she knew he wouldn't let go anytime soon, and quiet frankly she didn't want him to. She had been thinking a lot about the two children ever since they left, wondering how they would react to the changes that would take place. Reno moving in while Cloud was no longer around. Tifa knew that Marlene got along well with Reno, and wouldn't mind having him around, it was Denzel she was concerned about. The young boy had never liked the red-haired Turk, cold-shouldering his questions and gifts because he had seen him as someone who would take Cloud, his surrogate father, out of their lives.

_He wasn't wrong about that _thought Tifa bitterly. _He's gone because off… _

"Tifa, where's Cloud?" asked Denzel, in a slightly muffled voice.

Tifa took a deep breath as Denzel broke the hug and looked at her.

"Did he leave again?"

Tifa stared at the boy in front of her.

_Yes Denzel, he left because of me and Reno. You were right along I'm sorry._

"Cloud has gone for delivery, he'll be back soon"

"He will won't he?" asked Denzel hopefully, his big brown eyes looking up at the woman he had come to look upon as his mother.

Tifa's voice went tight, as she gazed down at the child, she smiled and nodded.

"I'm sure he will"

_I'll make sure he comes back. He'll come back for Denzel if no one else._

There wasn't anything she wouldn't do for the small boy in her arms.

She began to stroke his hair, slowly and soothingly, as if trying to take away his worrying thoughts with each stroke. Memories of the dream flashed through her mind, and she hugged him tightly.

"Where's Marlene" she whispered.

"Taking a shower" came the muffled reply.

"And Uncle Barret?"

"In the kitchen"

Tifa suddenly went cold as she froze in horror, as hand gripped Denzel's hair.

"What's he doing in the kitchen?" she asked, tensely.

"Said something about making breakfast" came the reply "Ow! Tifa my hair!"

But Tifa didn't seem to hear him. Instead she hastily got to her feet, putting Denzel aside.

"Denzel I've got to go!" she cried.

"Why?" came the confused reply.

"Marlene's dad isn't the kind of person you'd trust in a kitchen" she yelled, as she fled out of the room.

She took the steps two at a time, hoping that her pantry was not blown to bits by Barret's machine gun. She leapt and skidded into the room.

"Barret! Don't you dare touch a thing in my kitchen!" she yelled, but she suddenly stopped as she saw who it was.

Barret was not in the pantry, swearing and shooting everything to pieces in his frustration as she exepcted; instead he was standing feet apart, his massive gun levelled at someone. Reno was standing still with his hands raised in the air in surrender; he would have looked petrified if it weren't for the smirk on his face. It didn't take the look of anger on Barret's face to know that all hell was about to break lose.

_Get a grip on this situation Tifa, fast _thought Tifa to herself.

She took a deep breath and summoned all her inner strength.

"Barret" she spoke, in a calm but firm voice. "Put your arm aside and-"

"It's my machine gun not my arm!" yelled Barret, turning his sharp eyes from Reno to Tifa.

"What do yeh mean put it away? Do you know who he is? He's a freakin' Turk!"

"I know exactly what he is Barret" said Tifa, now approaching the huge man and placing an arm on his shoulder hoping that he would cooperate and lower it.

"But he's no longer a threat to us"

"I don't care what he is" said Barret, growling furiously, as he maintained his level aim at Reno. "Once a Shinra always a Shinra. And what's this crap about the two of you getting married, eh?"

Tifa huffed angrily, "Barret I'll tell you everything you need to know but you have to put aside your gun" she said, she glanced apprehensively at the staircase, before turning back to the tall man.

"Do you really want the kids to see you like this?" she whispered. The words seemed to have the desired effect, Barret slowly, though reluctantly, lowered his arm. He turned towards the Turk.

"Get out" he growled, "Tifa and I have some stuff to talk about"

Reno knew better than to defy an irate man much larger than him and simply nodded at Tifa.

"I called Tseng and the others" he said to her "They'll be here around lunchtime"

_Perfect_ thought Tifa sarcastingly.

She gave a tense nod "Lunch will be ready for them" she said.

Reno smiled at her "Thanks babe, I told them all about your cooking"

And with those words he turned and departed towards the bar, whistling as he left. Tifa turned and gave Barret a bright smile, knowing what Barret was about to say.

"Waffles? I'm hungry"

She hastily made her way around the pantry and grabbed the waffle iron from a cupboard. But Barret was having none of it, his arm's rigid with barely suppressed rage, he followed Tifa and towered above her.

"What's the meaning of this Tifa?" he said. "You marrying a Turk and he moving in here? With the children?"

Tifa sighed and turned around, twisting her neck so that she was eye-to-eye with Barret.

"I'm an adult Barret," she said, slowly and calmly, as if she were explaining to a two-year-old. "And I have a right to make my own decisions, on my own terms"

She held up a hand to stop Barret from interfering.

"I'm not stupid" she continued "I'm well aware that Reno has tried to kill us in the past, but he was only following orders"

Barret snorted, Tifa ignored him and continued.

"And besides times are different Shinra is no longer trying to exploit the planet, he and Reno aren't the bad guys anymore"

Barret opened his mouth again. Tifa cut him off.

"And in any case Reno helped us against the remnants. Have you forgotten that Barret?"

But Barret simply shook his head.

"I'm not saying you can't make your own decisions" he said."But why the _hell _would you go for Reno when there's-"

"When there's who?" asked Tifa, placing her hands on her hips.

Barret gulped suddenly unsure, somehow Tifa knew who he was going to mention and for some inexplicable reason it set her on edge.

"When there's who Barret?" repeated Tifa, in a warning tone.

"Cloud" mumbled Barret.

Tifa's eyes widened at the name and her breath hitched in her throat. Fortunately, Barret had looked away when he said the name and did not notice the shocked expression on his friend's face. Tifa turned her back to Barret, and began opening cupboard doors at random.

"What about Cloud?" she asked, in an unusually high-pitched voice. As her arms flurried at rapid pace across various cupboards.

Barret began to sway awkwardly on the spot, rubbing the back of his head. He suddenly looked like a schoolboy who had been caught in the midst of mischief.

"I..uh…"

"Yes?" said Tifa, in that same high, unnatural voice as she opened cupboard after cupboard. She turned to face Barret who had an awkward look on his face.

"I just thought-"

"Just thought what" snapped Tifa, breathlessly. "That Cloud and I are together, that we have feelings for one another?".

Images of that night in the church when Cloud had kissed her suddenly came to mind. She ruthlessly pushed them aside, determined to focus on the large man in front of her. Barret's face scrunched up into a frown.

"Slow down Tifa…." He said, his voice fading, as Tifa continued her tirade. She was speaking in a fast voice, something she did when she was nervous.

"You just thought that Cloud and I had a thing going is that it?" she continued, she opened a cupboard, and failing to notice the packet of flour that she had been looking for, slammed it shut.

"Tifa I-" started Barret, but stopped in mid-sentence when she spun around to glare at him.

"Cloud and I are _not _together, there are _no _feelings between us nor will there be. _Ever" _

As she spoke these words, her memories of her dream flashed through her mind, as if determined to contradict her words. She shook her head and glared at Barret who only looked at her stumped.

"I'm going to the marketplace to buy stuff for lunch" she said, coldly. "Make breakfast for Marlene and Denzel. You can fry eggs without demolishing half this place, right?"

With those biting words of sarcasm, Tifa stormed out of the pantry, grabbed her purse that was lying on a nearby table and stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind her. Once she was outside, she took a deep breath and threw her head backwards exposing her face to the sunlight that penetrated the grey buildings of Edge. She shook her head and looked around.  
Since it was early morning, there weren't many people who were out on the streets, those few who were, were young children no older than Marlene shuffling their small feet down the street, forcing themselves to travel to school. A small crowd of these young children shuffled lazily along the small street, struggling to walk off their morning sleepiness.  
Marlene and Denzel would have normally joined this group, but Tifa knew they would want to rest and perhaps a day to shake off the effects of Gold Saucer. She sighed, and ran a hand through her smooth hair. Suddenly remembering something Tifa growled before spinning around and opening the door. She entered the bar area, and stormed her away towards the staircase, she passed Barret who had not moved from his position in the pantry, he gaped at Tifa who glared at him in return.

"I thought you left" he said puzzled.

Tifa narrowed her brown eyes at him, "I forgot to take a shower!"

Neither of them noticed the suspicious looks a redhead was giving them.

* * *

It was nighttime before Tifa could find any time for herself. The remaining Turks had arrived just in time for lunch, as Reno predicted. It had not been an easy affair, hosting a meal to three grown-ups whose appetites had built up over three hours of travel. Barret had left, unable to stand the Turks anymore than Cloud could, leaving Tifa to monitor the roast so that it came out the exact way Reno liked it. Marlene and Denzel had slept through the day, leaving Tifa to juggle the roast with the baked potatoes along with the salad….and not to mention the custom made alcohol that Reno said the Turks always had at Healin and could now do without.

She huffed angrily, as she put aside a freshly washed glass. She was not exhausted from the lunch, working in the bar she regularly slaved through hectic nights, but it shouldn't have stopped Reno from lending a helping hand, it was after all going to be his home once they…Tifa's train of thought trailed off uncomfortably as she put aside another glass. Her home was silent, not a sound could be heard, nobody moved. Marlene and Denzel were asleep, while the Turks were sleep in the bar, with plans to depart the tomorrow morning. The only semblance of life came from Tifa, washing dishes over a low light. She felt incredibly lonely in the dark house, which was unusual because she seldom felt so negative.

Usually, she would be waiting for Cloud to come home from his round of deliveries, he would enter the house silently not wanting to wake anyone up, oblivious to the fact that Tifa would wait up for him no matter how late he was. He would then hungrily devour the meal she had set for him, listening with quite, intense eyes as Tifa rambled on about the kids and the various mishaps that would inevitably occur. Tifa smiled to herself, she enjoyed these small conversations with Cloud even though she did most of the talking. It gave her chance at adult conversation, to be talked to like an equal.

But Cloud was not coming home tonight.

Tifa sighed to herself as she put aside her napkin, she had forced herself not to think about Cloud the whole day, but not trying think about him only brought thoughts of him to her mind. She could still recall the night in the church, the dark church, the glowing blue eyes, and the feelings rushing through her, the heat radiating from him, the pleasurable friction of skin on skin. Tifa closed her eyes and revelled in the one moment she had felt so alive, so thrilled…so exhilarated. The sensation was incredible, but she had never felt this way before, Reno had never taken her to such a place. Was he not putting any effort? As if to answer her question, memories of the two of them came to mind, how his hands crawled all over her body, his tongue plundering her mouth.

_Nope _she thought _he was definitely trying. _

But it did not change the fact that compared to that kiss Reno was just…eh.

So how was it that Cloud Strife made her feel this way? He was a friend, a comrade, her roommate, Denzel's surrogate father, but not lover…right? They had been living together for two years with nothing happening between them, if there was such heat and passion between them wouldn't it have showed when they were alone? Before Denzel? Before Geostigma? Before Reno?

Or was she putting too much thought into a kiss?

She growled to herself and walked out of the pantry, turning off the lights as she departed. Her thoughts refused to leave her, as she climbed the staircase, her footsteps muffled by the carpet recently put in. Without realizing it, she found her feet taking her to the small room where Cloud conducted his business. She stopped outside the door of the pitch-dark room and peered, she didn't have Cloud's mako blue eyes and could not see anything beyond her nose. She sighed, as she entered the room, turning on the light in the process.

The light bluntly revealed the absence of it's owner, nothing had been moved since Cloud left, the desk remained disorganized and cluttered, the small cot beneath the window remained untidy and ruffled. The only visible change was the floor that sparkled in the dull light with a layer of dust. Tifa made her way over to the desk, and stared at Cloud in the framed photographs, something welled up in her as she saw the familiar blonde smiling at the camera. It had only been six days since he was gone, and yet Tifa ached to have him near her again, longed to hear his deep voice, to see him smile again.

Not aware of what she was doing, Tifa grabbed the phone in the corner and dialled Cloud's number.

The phone range, as Tifa put the receiver to her ear. Suddenly she froze.

What was she going to say? Why was she even calling him?

The phone continued to ring.

He may not be able to hear the phone ring especially if he was on Fenrir. And even if he was able to hear his phone, there was no way he was going to respond once he recognized the caller ID. So what was the point in calling him?

But before she could come to a conclusion, the ringing stopped and a voice came through.

_"This is Cloud. Leave a message" _

She gulped, what could she say?

For what seemed like the third time, her mind seemed to give the answers, without thinking about her words she suddenly opened her mouth.

"Cloud it's me"

Silence.

Now what?

She ploughed on, deciding to say what was on her mind, to express the thoughts that had been welling up in her mind all day long.

"I don't expect you to pick up" she said softly, hoping to keep her feelings under control. "I just hope you're listening to this. I-"

She took a deep breath, there was no turning back now, not with everything on the tip of her tongue, and besides, Cloud deserved to hear this.

"Denzel asked about you" she said. "He and Marlene got back today, he's really worried that you took off and won't come back. He misses you"

Yes, that was the way to go about it, start with something that didn't involve her feelings.

"I miss you as well" she continued. "I've been thinking about you ever since I last saw you, and when I think about how things ended…"

She closed her eyes determined not to let tears spill.

"I don't want things to end between us Cloud. I don't know how you feel about me, but you're too important to me to lose"

She took a deep breath, and ploughed on. "You've played such a big part in my life Cloud, you've been my friend, my hero, my roommate….my everything"

She hoped to god Cloud was listening, even though she was on voicemail.

"Even though you left us once"

Tifa swallowed, his time with Geostigma was never easy on him.

"Even though I was really hurt, somewhere deep down I _knew _you would come back, cause Cloud that's what you always do. Even though the world throws everything it could at you, you always find a way to comeback. And I knew that you would come back, just like you did in Nibelhiem"

She paused, forcing back the traumatising memories of what had once been her hometown.

"It was what kept me going, but I was still hurt Cloud, and I felt betrayed, and for so long I convinced that it was because you were my friend who walked out on our makeshift family, but now…"

She took a deep breath to steady herself, this was murky territory even for her.

"Now I'm starting to see differently, Cloud. I think I'm starting to see the truth"

She paused for a moment.

"That kiss we shared at the church, I would never have admitted then but that was the best kiss of my life"

She paused surprised, though she could not feel herself contradicting the statement, so she continued.

"When you wrapped your arms around me I felt safe, like nothing in the world could harm me. When our lips touched…it was like I was in a different world. No one in the world has ever made me feel that way-"

She stopped and looked around alarmed, she was certain that she heard a noise along the corridor. She left the phone on the desk, and went to the entrance. The corridor was dark, and nobody could be seen. Tifa hastily made her way to the phone, she picked it up and continued.

"I've been thinking about that kiss," she said. "And a lot of other things as well"

She paused once again, and took a deep breath. Conclusions were taking place in her mind, conclusions that she had never thought of before, but now that she did they made sense.

"Cloud, what I'm trying to say is" she said. "Is that I love you, I don't know for how long, I don't know when it all started…maybe it was when we were kids, maybe it was last week. I don't know and I don't care, what I feel for you is so real Cloud, so true"

She closed her eyes overcome with emotion, and whispered.

"So pure"

She took a deep breath to steady herself.

"I can't deny what I feel Cloud, not anymore, and with that said"

She took a deep breath, the thought did not occur to her until she made the phone call, but now that she came to this conclusion, it made all the sense in the world.

"I've decided to call off the wedding, I don't want to marry Reno. Not anymore"

She paused to understand the full gravity of her words...and suddenly her heart felt lighter than it had in a long time.

"I hope you come home soon. Good night"

With those words she kept the phone and took a deep breath…and smiled.

It was as if a massive weight had been lifted of her shoulders. For the first time in weeks she felt light and dizzy, as if she were in the clouds. Everything made sense to her, it was Cloud, it had always been Cloud. And to deny this fact to herself was just as stupid as taking on the Midgar Zolom with nothing but a rusty rod. It was wrong to her, it was wrong to Reno as well. She got to her feet, a light smile plastered to her face.

"Well, well why am I not surprised?"

Tifa jumped at the sound of the voice, and turned around. The tall, stiff form of Tseng loomed over her, as he entered the room. The dim light revealed, a face as stiff as a stone statue, long dark hair tied back into a ponytail. He surveyed Tifa with his cold eyes, Tifa glared back at him defiantly.

"You plan on calling off the wedding" he said, it wasn't a question.

Tifa growled softly "It has nothing to do with you, Tseng"

"Maybe not with me specifically" he said. "But Reno is not only a colleague but a friend of mind. I cannot, _will not _stand aside and watch him get hurt"

His words shocked Tifa, how dare he interfere in business that wasn't his?

"I'm doing what's best for Reno" she snapped. "Not that it's any of your business"

"What's best for Reno" said Tseng, as if he hadn't heard Tifa's words. "Is that he has a lovely woman waiting for him at home while he's at work"

His cold eyes shifted from Tifa and onto the photographs behind her. Without saying a word he crossed the room towards the desk, Tifa moved away, determined to stay away from the man who only thought of her as nothing more than a domestic housewife. Tseng reached out towards one of the photographs and held it in his hands, his eyes studying the family. Tifa snarled at his actions and moved forward.

"Don't touch that you-"

"This is a lovely family you have here" he said, once again ignoring Tifa's words. "It would be a shame if it were… broken apart"

Tifa stopped in her tracks at his words.

"What?" she hissed. Tseng looked at her.

"This boy" he said, indicating Denzel. "You are his surrogate mother, are you not?"

Tifa could feel hate building in her, what did Denzel have to do with this? Tseng took her stony silence as an appropriate response.

"How would you feel as the boy's mother" said Tseng, his voice so cold it was almost inhuman.

"To find him lying dead on the streets?"

The hatred that was simmering inside Tifa spewed forth, she went right up to Tseng until she was face-to-face with him.

"How dare you" hissed, "How dare you come in here and threaten Denzel's life!"

"I do not wish to take the life of a child" he said, placing the photograph on the desk. "But I will be forced to take action should you choose not to marry Reno"

Tifa could only stare in shock, as if she had been struck by lightening. Tseng's tone was so cold and rational, it was hard to believe that he was threatening the life of a child.

"You have no right…" she stuttered "You leave Denzel out of this. He has nothing to do with this!!"

"The child's life need not be endangered Miss Lockeheart" said Tseng. "Should you choose to do the right thing"

With those words, Tseng side stepped Tifa and made his way towards the entrance of the room. When he reached it, he turned around.

"And it is best if you do not inform any of your former avalanche members" he said. "If you wish to see your child live…especially Cloud Strife"

And with those threatening words, Tseng left the room.

Tifa covered her face with her hands, any happiness she felt was dashed to pieces by Tseng's intrusion. How dare he? Denzel was an innocent child who had nothing to do with this, why threaten him? Was it because he was close to Cloud? She looked up at the dull walls, tears streaming down her face.

"Cloud" she whispered.

Images of the blond warrior flashed through her mind, and the tears only increased in flow. How could she choose between the man she loved and the boy she had come to look upon as her son?

* * *

**A/N: Please, please leave reviews, telling me what you think. Good and bad, both. **


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I would like to thank vx-Luna -xv, ****xDjABC and Aziza-Chan for your encouraging reviews! You guys have been with this story from the beginning and I really appreciate your consistent reviews. I also like to thank Marisa for her insightly view and elebelly, it is reviews like yours that give an author motivation **

* * *

**Chapter 5**

Cloud Strife sat on the cold, hard wooden floor of the church staring at his PHS as if it had manifested into some sort of alien. Tifa's words were echoing through his head like a bell echoing in a church. He wasn't thrilled, He wasn't happy, He wasn't sad. Cloud Strife was utterly confused. In his right hand was the invitation Reno had given him for sadistic reasons. In his hand was evidence to show that Tifa was in fact marrying Reno, while his PHS held evidence to the contrary.

What was he suppose to think?

Cloud growled angrily to himself, his mind and heart were engaged in a raging battle for dominance over his decision. His heart told him that Tifa had finally come to realize the truth and she had decided to call off the wedding, telling him before informing Reno. However, another part of him, a more cynical part of him told him that she was conspiring with Reno to land him into what could only be a trap to make a fool of him. But it did not make sense, even if Tifa did intend to marry Reno why would she want to humiliate him?

_Could Reno have turned her against me? _Thought Cloud, his heart twisting at the thought.

He thought of the night he first found out about them.

_Reno and I are going to be married next week so he can climb into my pants all he wants_!

It was the force behind her voice that hurt Cloud more than anything else, the conviction…He shook his head. Could she just say those things and then change her mind?. No she had to be marrying Reno,. It was the only logical conclusion. The Turk had obviously turned her against him and they were now working together to make a fool out of him…..but at the same time, even though it made sense, another part of Cloud didn't want to believe it, refused to believe it.

Cloud closed his eyes, clamping down on the hurt that was swelling in him. He didn't understand. What was going on? What had changed between them? Was it because of what he had done three nights ago? Was she trying to put as much distance between them as possible? After all that they had been through, did the redhead who was once determined to kill them win?  
Cloud growled to himself as he got to his feet. Sitting here and thinking about it would only mean more questions, more questions with no answers.

He walked over to the centre of the church, where the pool of crystal, clear water lay. Cloud gazed into it's blue depths thinking about the person who saved him. Had it really been two weeks since the water had saved him? Had it really been two weeks since Sephiroth made his third return from the dead?  
So much had happened during that space of time, so much had happened while he was gone. Cloud turned, remembering the spot where Tifa once stood, looking at him with those adorable wide brown eyes. Cloud did not notice it then, but now, looking back on it that look sent jitters through his heart. Was she already dating Reno by then? Cloud scowled to himself.

"You're in pain" said a voice.

Cloud looked up, hardly daring to believe who was speaking to him. "You're in pain, even though you shouldn't be"

It was just like lightening, unexpected and thunderous. Cloud never expected to hear from her, though in all frankness he should have. Slowly, dreadfully, Cloud turned around to meet the source of the voice.

Aerith was standing in the centre of the pool, there was a soft serene glow emitting from her, as she smiled at Cloud. Cloud opened his mouth, but no words came out, he had never expected to see again…not after.

"You should be happy now Cloud" she said, and she spoke she began to move towards him in a slow, graceful walk.

"But yet you're still sad. Why?"

There was something almost inhuman about the serenity of her delicate face, like it could break and shatter into a thousand shards in any second.

Cloud turned away from Aerith, partly he didn't want to face her, but also because he found it easier to think when he was soul searching.

"I'm confused" he said.

"About Tifa" It wasn't a question.

Cloud sensed this and bowed his head even further.

"I just don't know what to do"

Aerith smiled and shifted her pink skirt, she gently placed a hand on his shoulder, and even though the touch was soothing and comforting, Cloud did not move a muscle.

"Well, you can't get anything done by staying here" she said, with a gentle laugh that sounded like a bell tinkering. "Your place isn't here, it's with Tifa"

"Is it?"

Cloud held up the invitation to Aerith, determined not to look into her face. He couldn't explain it, but it somehow seemed appropriate that he did so. Aerith looked at the invitation, smiled at it's contents and turned back to Cloud.

"Don't let the Turks fool you Cloud" she said. "Tifa needs you now more than ever"

Suddenly he lost it, anger had been simmering beneath the surface for quiet a while, but Aerith's words was the final straw. Without thinking about it, he turned and glared directly at Aerith.

"Does this" he snapped, shaking the invitation at her face. "Look like she's _ever _needed me?"

Much to Cloud's surprise Aerith merely laughed.

"Oh Cloud" she said, when here laughter died away. "You're still that clueless, bull-headed idiot who crashed through my roof two years ago, aren't you?"

Cloud frowned in confusion. "What?"

"All I can say is this Cloud," she said, and as she spoke she began to retreat into the pool. "Reno and his friends are Turks, don't forget that"

"I know" said Cloud. "But what does that-"

"It has everything to do with what's happening between you and Tifa" interrupted Aerith, knowing what was on Cloud's mind.

"Don't give up on her Cloud, not now"

And with those words, the glowing form of Aerith faded into thin air.

"Aerith! Wait!" cried Cloud, desperate to get more answers, but there was no response. Aerith was gone, leaving Cloud alone as he was for the past few hours. Cloud turned away, his eyes falling on the church doors. Should he go after her? Confront her? As if to confirm his thoughts, a voice suddenly echoed in his head.

_Go Cloud. You have nothing to lose_.

A smile crept back into Cloud's face, without a second's hesitation he grabbed his PHS and made his way towards the church doors.

Cloud was going to talk to Tifa…and kick Reno's ass if necessary.

* * *

"Reno! Reno!"

The Turk snapped out of his reverie, before glancing at his caller. Tifa was staring at him in a suspicious manner.

"What were you so busy with?"

In response, Reno's eyes travelled to the blonde woman, who like Tifa was shopping for wedding items.

"I was looking at those…glasses," he said, pointing at a display of crystal clear glassware.

Tifa' narrowed eyes travelled along the direction of Reno's figure. Fortunately, for Reno, the blonde woman had wandered to some other part of the shop so Tifa failed to notice her.

"It's called glassware" she said, her tone indicated that she was not convinced by Reno's lie. "And it's too expensive. Simple wedding, remember?"

Reno gulped, Tifa's eyes were literally glowing with capped anger, he was going to have to say something to kill the tension.

"Do you like your dress?" he asked, mentioning the first thing that popped into his mind. "Elena and I searched the whole day"

In response Tifa merely shrugged.

"It'll do I guess" came the reply.

Reno's eyes narrowed, _It'll do? _He thought to himself. _Well, It's gonna have to do bitch! You're marrying me and not Cloud!_

To disguise his thoughts he gave a lopsided smile.

"You don't like it?"

"No it's just…"

Reno noticed Tifa's cheeks going red, before turning away.

"It's not exactly the one I want," she murmured.

Reno merely shrugged.

"You'll get used to it," he said, casually. "It fits you perfectly"

"A little _too _perfectly" murmured Tifa.

The words were softly spoken and Reno didn't hear.

"What was that babe?"

He could see Tifa briefly shift her shoulders, as if trying to shake off something uncomfortable.

"Nothing" she murmured. She turned to face him, and Reno was surprised by the big smile on her face.

"Shall we?" gesturing to the entire store. Just as she spoke, a ringing sound echoed from Reno's chest pocket. He pulled it out before looking at the caller ID.

It was Tseng.

He pressed a button on the phone.

"Hey, Tseng" he said, giving Tifa a significant look.

The young woman gave him a dirty look before turning and walking away.

"What's up?"

"Strife has been spotted heading towards the bar" came the reply.

Reno smirked, the fool was playing right into his hands.

"No worries Tifa's with me"

"If you ask me, using the Wutian is a bit of a gamble"

"She's nothing more than a dumb chatterbox who can't shut up" said Reno, scathingly. "Besides she has no idea about the call Tifa made"

"And she won't get a clue" said Tseng. "Tifa's lips are sealed"

Reno smiled. "Thanks for the heads up Tseng"

"No problem" came Tseng's cool casual reply. "Though I have to admit. I was surprised when you insisted that I threaten the boy. I felt that Cloud Strife would have been a sufficient target"

Reno immediately looked to see where Tifa was, he could see her long dark hair trailing down to her back as she inspected items on the shelf, out of earshot. Reno gave an appreciative nod at Tifa's rear end before turning his attention back to the phone.

"If we threatened Cloud, Tifa wouldn't have worried" said Reno. "She knows Cloud can deal with anything we throw at him"

Silence, before. "I suppose you have a point, what about the girl?"

"I like the girl, she's nice to me" said the red-haired Turk. "Besides I don't want her brute father getting involved"

"Which leaves the boy"

"And besides I hate the little prick" said Reno. "Never liked me. He was _o__bsessed_ with Cloud"

"He's just a boy Reno" said Tseng, with a hint of warning in his voice.

"It doesn't matter" said Reno. "We won't have to make moves on the boy"

"Are you sure?"

"Trust me, there isn't anything she wouldn't do for him"

Reno glanced around to keep an eye on Tifa. She had turned to him now, and was gesturing him to come over.

"I gotta go" he said. "See you soon Tseng"

Reno put the phone into his pocket, and made his way over to Tifa.

"What's up?"

"Reno I need you to…"

The rest of Tifa's question faded as Reno caught site of the blonde woman he had been looking at earlier. She noticed his intense stare and smiled back.

* * *

It had been almost a week since he had last been into Seventh Heaven, but to Cloud it felt like a lifetime. As the thundering noise of Fenrir's engine died out Cloud couldn't help but feel a hint of nausea coming over him, despite the waves of trepidation that were coming over him.

Taking a deep breath he pulled out the key in his pocket, and opened the door to the bar. As Cloud cast his eyes around the bar two things came to his mind.

One: It was empty. Two: It had not changed.

He glanced at the counter where he was used to have his meals and couldn't help the wave of nausea as it finally overcame his inhibitions. There had been countless noisy, jovial mealtimes he had with Tifa, Marlene and Denzel. Thinking about the children brought questions to Cloud's mind. Did they come back from Gold Saucer? Do they know about the engagement? How would they react to it? Surely they would put Tifa in their right state of mind? Cloud walked into bar, his boots making dull noises against the wooden floor.

"Who's there?" came a groggy voice. "I'm warning you I'm armed!"

Cloud raised his eyebrow in surprise, immediately recognising the voice.

"Cloud? Is that you?" And suddenly the voice turned from dull and groggy to sharp and alive. "Cloud!"

Closing his eyes in silent prayer Cloud slowly turned around. She was the last person he wanted to see right now.

Yuffie bound the stairs and practically leapt into his arms, and if it weren't for Cloud's quick reflexes, they would all be a heap on the floor. Yuffie looked up at Cloud with a bright smile on her face.

"Cloud! I wasn't expecting you!" she said.

"Shocking seeing as I live here" murmured Cloud _Or used to live here_.

He turned towards the pantry and opening the fridge.

"Where's everybody?" he asked. "And what are you doing here?"

As he searched the fridge of a bottle of…anything he could find.

"Marlene and Denzel are out at school" said Yuffie, in a high – pitched singsong voice.

"And Tifa's out shopping with Reno" Cloud's hand was halfway towards a bottle of juice but froze in mid-air.

"Tifa's out where?" he asked, hardly daring to believe it.

"Tifa's out shopping with Reno" said Yuffie.

"For the wedding, And I'm here for the wedding"

It was as if Cloud's chest had frozen, he could hardly breathe. He slowly brought himself up, masking himself behind indifference. He looked at Yuffie, how was expecting him to say something.

"So…. they're"

"Of course silly" said Yuffie in an incredulous voice. "It's going to be tomorrow. And it's going to be beeauutifual!!!"

As she spoke the last word, she twirled on the tips of her toes like a ballerina. Cloud had the strong urge to break her in half for acting this happy.

"Yuffie" he said gruffly, deciding to give it one last try. "Have you noticed Tifa…acting weird lately?"

Yuffie immediately stopped whirling around and frowned in thought.

"You know what?" she said. "I think I have….but it's probably wedding jitters!"

"Did she say anything to you?" he said. "Anything about the wedding?"

Yuffie frowned before shaking her head.

"She's excited"

Cloud was stunned. "Excited?"

He was beginning to think that the call was a farce, but Tifa sounded so…real.

"Yeah, excited! You wanna come up stairs and see her dress?" "

Dread filled Clud at the prospect of seeing what Tifa would be wearing.

"Yuffie I don't think that's-"

"Better yet I'll get it for you!"

Cloud groaned as Yuffie disappeared upstairs, now he had no choice but to see the dress Tifa would wear on the most devastating day of his life. Suddenly, he heard a loud thud and a low moan of pain.

"Alright Yuffs?" called Cloud, smirking despite his situation.

"I'm fine" she yelled. "No need to come after me!"

"Won't dream of it" murmured Cloud.

He plopped himself on the counter and waited, he could have just walked out. He thought to himself, he could have just walked out and searched for Tifa on the streets, but for some inexplicable reason Cloud felt that he had to know, perhaps something undeniably associated with a wedding would tell him what he needed to know…or didn't want to know.

As he lost himself in his thoughts, Yuffie raced down the stairs holding a dress zipped inside a cover for protection. Yuffie grabbed the zipper and pulled it down with flourish.

"Tata!" she exclaimed.

Cloud turned and gaped at what he saw it was nothing like a wedding dress. The dress was coal black, and judging from it's design it was meant to be a backless, thin straps were all that held the dress to it's shoulders, halfway down the dress there was a split which went all the way down to the hem of the dress.

"Well, what do you think?" asked Yuffie, looking at Cloud for an answer.

Cloud was speechless; Tifa was wearing _that _for a wedding, at a _church?_

"Umm…" said Cloud, struggling for an answer. "I thought you wore a different sort of dress" he murmured.

"I know, right?" came the chirpy reply from Yuffie, and she turned the dress so that she could get a good look at it.

"Frankly, I was surprised that Tifa agreed to wear this, but Reno picked it out and she didn't say a word so…"

For what must have been the tenth time this week, Cloud felt like he was struck by lightening.

"Reno" he murmured, shocked. "Reno picked this out"

Yuffie looked at him, and her big dark eyes crinkled in concern.

"Yeah" she replied.

"And Tifa didn't say anything?"

"Nope she just went along with it" she said. "Cloud, are you okay?"

Cloud didn't respond, staring at him in the face was evidence to what he hoped wasn't happening. Tifa _was _marrying Reno, and more than that she had left that message just to fool and humiliate him.

He didn't reply to Yuffie's probing question as he recalled the words that had strung echoes through his heart.

_"Cloud, what I'm trying to say is, is that I love you, I don't know for how long, I don't know when it all started…maybe it was when we were kids, maybe it was last week. I don't know and I don't care, what I feel for you is so real Cloud, so true"_

She had sounded so convincing, and if it hadn't been for the invitation he received, he would have done something incredibly foolish. Why would Tifa do this to him? Did Reno mean that much to her? Didn't their friendship count for anything? Was she getting revenge for what he did when he had Geostigma? It didn't make sense, Tifa was never the type for vengeance. It could only mean one thing.

Tifa was marrying a Turk, and she had become a Turk herself, through and through.

"Cloud, are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine" replied Cloud coldly, as he came to his conclusion. "Tell Tifa this: She can marry whoever she wants. I don't care"

Yuffie's eyes went wide with shock.

"Cloud what-"

But Cloud had lifted himself off the counter, anger and disappointment were running rampant in him, he could feel tears pooling near his eyes. How could Tifa do this to him? Didn't she know how he felt about her? Why would she do something so cruel? Raise his hopes so high only to have his expectations crushed brutally.

"I saw through her plot" he murmured more to himself than Yuffie.

"Tell her that"

"Cloud!" cried Yuffie.

But the blonde warrior didn't respond, instead he opened the door to the bar and slammed it behind him.

"Oh dear" cried Yuffie. "Oh dear" Her eyes darted around the pantry, trying to find something to smash Cloud over the head and make him unconscious. Her eyes fell on the phone and she cried out in relief. She ran over to the phone, grabbed it and dialled her friend's number. She waited for a long time for the person to pick up and when she did it was with a gruff voice.

"What'ya want Yuffie?" he growled.

"Barret" cried Yuffie. "I need you to get Cloud he's gone nuts!"

* * *

**A/N: What do you think? Please leave feedback, I didn't get enough reviews for the last chapter. I NEED MORE!!!!!!! **


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I would like to thank the following people: vx-Luna-xv, Aziza-Chan, Marisa, KCVII and MyfinalfantasyVII. Your reviews were fantastic and extremely encouraging. **

**To the Anoymouns Reviewer (Sucks): **_It's highly doubtful that you will read this chapter given what you said in your review, but I don't know any other way to get out to you so... I just want to say that I'm not offended by what you said, I did ask for both positive and negative reivews in the beginning. Although, it would have been nice if you stated what sucked about my story, it would have been alot more helpful. _

**Back to the story: **_I told some people that this would be the final chapter in the story, but owing to how much left to write I felt that it would be too logn and not give justive (or attention) to certain parts in this chapter. So I've decided to split the chapter in half. Think of this chapter as the 1st half of the finale._

* * *

**Chapter 6**

"Why?" he murmured to the growing darkness. "Why me?"

The dark, idyllic interior of the church did little to reflect the tormented thoughts of the man occupying it. The sole occupant sat on the floor, his arms propped up on his knees thinking, wondering….

He had failed to make it to SOLIDER, he had spent five years of his life being the experiment of a crazy scientist, he had failed to save his best friend Zack, the man who had gotten him out of his hellhole…failure after failure followed by the inscrutable burden of saving the world from a madman.

Amidst all these events Cloud had functioned with loneliness at the core of his heart, his body had worked like a machine without it's cogs, a man without a soul. Darkness was everything that Cloud had ever known, it had consumed his life until there was literally no difference between the two, yet he persisted, he struggled…and he survived.

But for what?

Why struggle against the onslaught of the darkness when there was no light at the end of the tunnel? Why persist through a condensing forest when there was no lush clearing nearby? Why fight for the world when it gave him nothing in return? Why fight the battles that plague his path, if his path had no happiness?

What was the reason? What was the purpose?

And for the first time in his life Cloud Strife asked himself these questions.

"What's the point in all this fighting?" he said. "If I can never be happy?"

Images of a beautiful woman with long brown hair and dark ruby eyes flashed through his mind.

"She should be marrying me" murmured Cloud, pounding his head against the back of the wall, as he spoke. "She should be with me! Why! Why does this happen to me!"

He spoke the final words in a loud yell, his angry outburst echoed across the empty church.

Was it his curse to loose the people he cared about? First Zack, then Aerith and now Tifa.

Cloud closed his eyes as his chest ached with the pain that racked him. Suddenly he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. Reluctantly, Cloud opened his eyes and stared at the person before him.

Zack was standing but bending over with his hand on Cloud's shoulder. He was wearing clothes of pure, dazzling white that clashed with his spiky black hair. He glowed in the darkness, making him look like a god. Cloud stared at the man before him, unable to believe what he was seeing.

"What happened to you?" he asked.

Zack responded with a dazzling smirk, he removed his hand from Cloud's shoulder and held it out for his friend. Cloud took the proffered hand and he was helped to his feet. Zack smiled at him.

"I wanted to show you that we _can _change our clothes in the Lifestream" he said.

Cloud smirked, remembering the joke he made sometime back.

"White isn't your colour" he said.

Zack barked a laugh. "Funny, Aerith had a different opinion"

"I bet she did"

Silence fell between the two friends, despite it's ease Cloud could feel a sense of apprehension, and he quickly turned away.

"Cloud" said Zack quietly.

Cloud didn't respond.

"Are you hiding?"

Cloud shook his head.

"I think you are" said Zack, walking around Cloud to see his face. "You've been thinking too much about your life and now you're afraid that it may lead to nothing. Is that it?"

Cloud looked away, determined not to meet Zack's eyes. He never did feel comfortable talking about his feelings, even if it was with a close and trusted friend.

"Well, let me tell you something pal" said Zack, in a quiet but firm tone. "Running away wouldn't get you anywhere, anything or _anyone _in life"

Cloud turned away, not liking the path this conversation was taking.

"You don't understand!" he snapped. "My life has been one big mess"

"We do understand, Cloud" came a feminine voice.

Cloud looked up. Aerith was standing before him, in a ghostly vision of pink and a gentle smile on her face.

"It's why we're here" said Zack, from behind him. "To help you"

Cloud didn't respond, doubts began to simmer in his mind, _Could _he be helped?

"You've been fighting your whole life" said Aerith, walking up to him, staring at him…reading him with her green eyes.

"Fighting yourself, fighting to save yourself"

"And I'm fed up of fighting" murmured Cloud, turning and walking a few paces away. "I've had enough of this…crap"

The two ghostly beings exchanged cursory glances before Zack spoke.

"Your not _fed up_ of fighting, are you Cloud?"

No response.

"Your afraid" continued Zack. "You're afraid because you can't see an end to your conflict…. you're afraid that you can't find peace"

Cloud turned around and stared at Zack, as if seeing his best friend in a whole new light. Since when did he become so intuitive?

"But there is happiness for you, Cloud" said Aerith picking up where Zack left off. "But you have to fight for it"

"Why!" snapped Cloud, losing his patience. "Give me one good reason to-"

"Because this fight isn't about you" said Zack. "It's about Tifa"

Cloud growled angrily, they had finally mentioned it, the source of all of his pain and torment.

"I'm not interested" he said sarcastically. "She can have a wonderful wedding, with that _wonderful _dress of hers"

"It's no point, Aerith" said Zack. "We have to show him"

Aerith nodded, her sad eyes agreeing with Zack's words. Cloud looked from Zack to Aerith in confusion.

"Show me what?"

"The Lifestream is the source of all life" said Aerith, as she spoke a soft hue of white light began to envelope her.

"It grants me many visions, enables me to see countless possibilities" Cloud stared, wondering what was going on.

"What are you talking about?"

"It's for your own good Cloud" said Zack.

Cloud turned to Aerith, "Aerith?"

Aerith didn't respond. Instead she walked up to Cloud and placed a small hand on his shoulder.

"Come with me, Cloud"

The hue of light emitting from Aerith glowed brighter and brighter, until it enfolded the entire church. A sense of panic took hold of Cloud.

"What's going on?" he yelled, but he could not hear his own voice. Suddenly, the glow vanished, and when the darkness returned, the church was empty.

* * *

Hues of purple and blood red splattered across the horizon like a painter splashing his canvas, bright yellow rays burst through the frail clouds as the sun rose from it's slumber. Edge greeted the early hours of dawn with reluctant arousal; young children reluctantly left their beds with puffy-eyed pouts, young men cursed as they tried to avail their hang-overs from the previous night, young couples snuggled closer, determined to spend a few more minutes in paradise. Edge's sleepy but warm welcome of a new day gave it a much-needed tranquil start before the chaos of afternoon and late night. Only the apartment above 'Seventh Heaven' seemed to be the exception of the peaceful norm of the town. On the inside it was chaotic and a complete mess. It could only mean one thing: Yuffie Kisaragi had effectively taken over the house.

"You! I want those cherry blossoms moved over there!" yelled the ninja, pointing to one of the tables. "You! red-head!"

"The name's Reno" murmured the disgruntled Turk.

"Whatever! Take those tulips away! Orange makes me sick"

Reno groaned in discontent as he reluctantly took the bunch of flowers and dragged his feet across the bar towards the exit. The bar was alight with colours; flowers of every single type imaginable littered the bar. The other Turks wore looks of tiredness with dark circles lining their faces; backs slumped over their work in uncharacteristic postures. In far contrast, Yuffie stood in the centre of the mess, back-straight eyes wide and alert.

"You big guy!" yelled Yuffie, pointing towards Rude. "Move that vase over there, and if you break it I'll hurt you so bad you wish mama never gave birth to you!"

Rude groaned, not wanting to test the patience of the ninja.

"You blonde girl!"

"It's Elena" cried the Turk, whose eyes were tearing from a lack of sleep. "My name is Elena"

"I'm not interest in your name. Take those ornaments to the bar! And make sure you don't break them!"

Elena let out a soft whimper as she meekly carried the ornaments to their designated position.

"Yeah, that's it" said Yuffie, with a grin on her face that was deceptively sweet. "That should teach you to touch my stuff!"

"For the last time" said an exasperated Tseng, who was on a ladder hanging red ornaments. "We weren't trying to steal that container of materia . We were merely moved it to make room for our sleeping mats"

"I don't wanna hear it!" snapped Yuffie. "Get back to work! I have to help Tifa get ready and I better see some progress by the time I get back or else!"

With those threatening words, Yuffie turned and stormed up the staircase, determined to throw a tantrum, though she was smiling.

_That ought to show them! _she thought to herself.

She made her way towards Tifa's bedroom. She had rapt on the wooden surface before calling out.

"Tifa! It's me! Open up!"

No response.

Yuffie waited patiently, thinking that she was putting her make-up together. She briefly reflected on the wedding that would soon take place at the small and humble chapel a few blocks away.  
Yuffie smiled to herself, Like the other members of AVALANCHE Yuffie didn't like nor trust Reno, but if Tifa loved this man and wanted to marry him then who was she to stop her? She deserved to marry the man she loved, especially after everything she had been through. The ninja had argued with Barret and Cid as both men seem to have taken on the role of the disapproving father-of-the-bride, claiming that Tifa didn't even like Reno much less love him, Yuffie in turn had argued that if Tifa didn't want to marry Reno then she would have said so, and Yuffie doubted if Reno's electric rod would have changed her mind.

But there was still the issue of Cloud….

He had stormed off rambling about 'deception' and 'fooling him' two things, Yuffie was certain, Tifa would never do to Cloud. He had not been seen since his abrupt arrival and departure two days ago, Barret and Cid had no idea where he was, despite searching all of Edge. Yuffie had tried reaching Vincent but without a PHS he was impossible to locate. He and Cloud were always the best trackers in the group and without them the remaining members were pretty much lost. Yuffie hoped that Cloud was not planning anything malicious, she didn't want Tifa's happiness compromised because of some misunderstanding.

Yuffie was startled out of her thoughts by sweet humming coming from down the corridor. She turned to see a jubilant and vibrant Marlene skipping her away towards her.

"Morning Yuffie!"

"Hey Marls" responded Yuffie, with a bright smile. "Did Tifa come out of her room?"

Marlene shook her head, her eyes were wide and innocent.

"I don't think she's come out at all, cause normally she helps tie my hair in the morning…. and she didn't come to my room today"

"Thanks, Marlene"

Without another word, Marlene skipped down the hall, elated that a wedding was taking place. Yuffie returned her gaze towards the door and frowned, Tifa was obviously still asleep.

"Tsk, tsk" murmured Yuffie. "On her wedding day. This won't do"

Without a second's hesitation she pushed the door open and entered the room.

"Rise and shine, Tifa!!"

Yuffie's voice faded as she slowly took in what was before her. Tifa was not asleep as she had first assumed, rather she was sitting at her dressing table her head in her arms, her shoulders shuddering. She looked up and Yuffie could see mascara trail down from her eyes to her face, she had been crying.

"Tifa?" asked Yuffie, alarmed "Is everything alright?"

At the sight of her friend, Tifa smiled and hastily grabbed a bunch of tissues and began to dab at her eyes.

"Everything's fine, Yuffie" said Tifa. "I'm just feeling a bit….nervous"

She gave a fake laugh. "You know wedding jitters"

Hearing this, Yuffie smiled, though doubts still lingered.

"Yeah" she said. "Do you need help?"

"I'm fine, Yuffie" said Tifa, she cleared her face of mascara and smiled at Yuffie, it didn't take the ninja much to notice that the smile was forced.

"I can handle it here Yuffs" she said. "Why don't you make sure that everything's ready for the wedding?"

Yuffie nodded. "I'll do that"

She turned and was about to leave the room when Tifa stopped her.

"Yuffie!"

The ninja turned around.

"Yes?"

Tifa opened her mouth to say something, her eyes red from crying and she looked extremely uncertain. Yuffie began to grow uneasy, this was not the Tifa she knew.

"I-" she stopped and looked away. "Never mind"

Yuffie frowned, "Tifa what is it?"

"Nothing" she said, a bit too quickly. "It's silly …I mean of course he won't…."

Yuffie was beginning to grow worried at Tifa's rambling, was this normal wedding jitters?

"Tifa, is everything okay?"

"Have you seen Cloud?"

The question spewed from Tifa's mouth like lava from a volcano, a ringing silence followed the statement for Tifa had hit on the source of both women's troubling thoughts.

"Umm.." replied Yuffie, wondering if she should tell Tifa about Cloud's odd visit and harsh words.

"It's okay you don't have to say anything" said Tifa, cutting Yuffie off from her train of thought. "Nobody will know where he is. He's very good at hiding"

"Actually…" Tifa turned around her eyes wide. "Actually, he was here a couple of days ago"

Tifa's eyes widened as she ran forward and grabbed Yuffie by the arms and shook her.

"He was here? Why didn't you say anything?"

"He was really mad"

Tifa's eyes frowned in confusion. "What?"

"He was mad about something" said Yuffie.

"What did he do Yuffie? What did he say?"

Yuffie hesitated, wondering if she should say such things to Tifa on her wedding day. She would be undoubtedly devastated, Cloud was her childhood friend, wasn't he? but Tifa's stare and her firm tone intimidated Yuffie, Tifa's grip on her shoulders tightened and Yuffie almost winced, very few people knew just how strong she was.

"He kept…"

"What did he say, Yuffie?".

"Umm…" T

ifa's eyes bore into hers with a ferocity that was absent only minutes ago, the fierce stare combined with her commanding tone goaded Yuffie into submission.

"Tell me, Yuffie!"

"He said something about not being fooled!" cried Yuffie. "And that you can marry whoever you wanted" T

he words spewed from Yuffie's mouth before she could stop herself, her eyes immediately widened with regret. Tifa's grip on her shoulders slackened, her eyes narrowed.

"What did you say?"

"I showed him your dress" gasped Yuffie, not realizing that she had been holding her breath. "And when I said that Reno picked it out he just left saying that he wasn't fooled"

Tifa's arms drifted from Yuffie's shoulders to her sides. She turned away from her friend and thought over Cloud's words. The silence was crippling, Yuffie stood still, not sure of what to do or say, wondering how Tifa would react. Tifa herself was trying to figure out Cloud's words.

Then suddenly, it hit her. The call she made, the threat she received, the decision she was forced to reverse, she opened her mouth in horror.

"Tifa?"

"I'll be fine Yuffie" said Tifa, automatically. "Go downstairs"

"Are you-"

"Yes"

"Do you-"

"No"

"So you'll be-"

"Fine"

Yuffie nodded and without another word left the room. Tifa listened to the door click shut with relief. She silently raised her eyes to the rising sun, counting down the hours to what would be the most devastating moment of her life. When she was a small child she had frequently fantasized about her wedding, a bright sunny day near mountains of Niebelhiem, a small but beautiful chapel with doves flying around, a glimmering pearl dress, the most handsome man in the world….

She could see none of these things coming true today, not even the man she was marrying…granted, Reno was handsome but he was nothing more than a smirking two-timing, lying, backstabbing womaniser. If Tifa had any reason for dating him months ago, that reason was blurred by the truth. She closed her eyes, never in a life she had felt so trapped, and so alone. Tseng practically had a hand around her throat and could squeeze it anytime he wanted to, the only man who could have gotten her out of this predicament was gone and Tifa was certain that he would not come. Cloud, her only saviour was gone, and from Yuffie's words didn't seem to be coming back.

Tifa's eyes remained closed….but it did not stop the tears from falling.

* * *

Cloud looked around him his apprehension giving way to surprise, he looked around unable to believe where he was. Sunlight streamed through the windows giving the place a tranquil look. Cloud looked around the bar, it was empty save for him and two other people. He turned to the two people standing at the corner, one smiling, and the other smirking.

"What is this place?" he asked. "How did we get here?"

"Can't you tell?" replied Zack, smirking. "It's where you used to live"

Cloud frowned "I know but…"

His voice trailed as he heard someone coming down the stairs. His heart immediately lurched upon hearing that lithe familiar step. Tifa came down the stairs, wearing a sleeveless top and pyjama trousers.

"Tifa" whispered Cloud, but Tifa didn't respond.

She hummed merrily to herself as she began to make breakfast, oblivious to the three people in the same room as her. Cloud walked around the pantry, and stood right in front of her, Tifa continued to put together ingredients for the meal she was to make. With a pan in her hand, she looked right through Cloud as if he were invisible.

"Tifa!" cried Cloud. "Tifa, look at me"

He attempted to grasp her shoulders but fingers went right through her shoulder. He gasped in surprise.

"There's no point Cloud" Aerith spoke in a soft, gentle tone, sympathising with Cloud's feelings.

"What do you mean there's no point?" asked Cloud.

"She can't see or hear you" said Zack. "This place isn't real"

"What is this place?" asked Cloud, confusion welling in him. "I mean…I know this is Seventh Heaven but…"

He walked around the pantry, not realizing that he had walked right through Tifa as if she were ghost. In response, Zack gave his friend a small smile.

"Patience, Cloud" he said. "You'll find out soon enough"

Cloud turned to watch Tifa make breakfast.

Suddenly a high-pitched shout came from upstairs, Tifa looked up with a knowing smile on her face.

"Hurry up you two!" she called up. "Or daddy will eat your breakfast"

A lump formed in Cloud's throat at the word 'daddy' unable to speak, he turned around to look at Aerith, the young woman nodded in return.

"Just wait Cloud" she said. "Be patient"

"But-"

He was cut off by a noise of footsteps at the stairs. Cloud watched with apprehension, expecting Reno to enter the pantry with his sick smirk, his breath hitched as a shadow at the stairway. Tifa looked up, saw who it was and laughed, as she flipped a French toast.

"I know you're there!" she said. "Come on out Cloud!"

"Cloud" whispered the blonde man.

Cloud watched in shock as he saw a replica of himself in white T-shirt and jeans enter the pantry. This Cloud looked exactly like him, the spiky blonde hair, the blue eyes, the only thing that seemed to differentiate the two was the stubble of blonde facial hair growing on the other Cloud's cheeks, and the faint traces of lines taking form on his face. Without a second's hesitation, the older Cloud walked over to Tifa who was at the stove cooking, and wrapped his arms around her, and placed a soft kiss on her cheek.

"Morning, Teef"

"Morning, Cloud"

"What's for breakfast?"

"French toast, hungry?"

"Oh, I'm hungry" murmured Cloud, in a husky voice. "But not for French toast"

Tifa smiled as she inclined towards the man behind her.

"What do you mean?"

"I was late home last night" he said, he gently pushed aside her curtain of hair and continued down to the nape of her neck. "You were asleep and we didn't get the chance to…"

His words trailed off as he began place soft kisses down her throat. Tifa hummed with pleasure.

"Cloud" she whispered. "We shouldn't…"

As she spoke she tipped her head back allowing older-Cloud more access.

"_We shouldn't_ waste time" said Cloud.

He turned around and pulled her into a deep kiss, Tifa moaned into the kiss as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Meanwhile a confused and an oddly elated Cloud watched the theatrics, he was staring at himself fulfilling one of his lifelong fantasises, but it wasn't him who was kissing Tifa yet at the same time…it was him. He turned to Aerith who was now smiling, Zack had a similar smile of his own.

"You haven't see anything yet" he said, in response to Cloud's unspoken question.

Cloud raised an eyebrow. He was watching a duplicate of himself kissing the woman of his dreams, what other surprises could there be?

The answer to that question was thundering down the stairs in a high-pitched squeal. The couple in the pantry immediately broke apart, and tried their best to look normal. A little girl with blonde hair and brown eyes ran into the pantry, she looked around and her gaze fell on Cloud.

"Daddy! You're home"

She ran into the hand of older Cloud who awaited her with open her arms. With one scoop he lifted the smaller girl into the air and planted a kiss on her cheek.

"How's my Angel?" he asked. The little girl gazed at older Cloud with a look of pure adoration on her face.

"I drew another drawing Daddy" she said.

"Another one? That's your fourth this week!"

"Yup!"

"Keep going and I'm sure you'll be a great artist"

Older Cloud set the girl down, as he took a cup of coffee.

Tifa turned to the little girl and smiled. "Are you hungry, Aerith?"

The small girl smiled and opened her mouth to speak, but before she could respond an odd sound travelled down the staircase, it was an odd sound … like a person attempting to roar.

Suddenly a boy, taller and slightly older than the girl leapt into view, landing at the foot of the stairs with a 'thud' He had his hands up in a claw-like fashion.

"Aerith! Here I –"

His blue eyes landed on older-Cloud who was staring at him with one eyebrow raised. Upon seeing his father, the boy immediately dropped his act and began running his hand through his dark, spiky, a sheepish look on her face.

"Hi Dad" he said. "Didn't see you there"

"Morning, Zack" he said. "I hope you weren't scaring your sister like I told you not to?"

"Uhh…"

At this point, the little girl, Aerith piped up. "He was in my bedroom when I woke up!" she said, in a high-pitched voice. "He tried to eat Mr. Dinkles!"

The young boy growled sister.

"Was not!"

"Was to!"

"Prove it!"

"Alright, enough you two" said Tifa.

Her voice gentle but firm. She placed four empty plate on the table, as she prepared for breakfast. Meanwhile, older Cloud looked at his son fondly and held out his arms.

"Do I get a hug?"

Young Zack rubbed the back of his head a sheepish smile on her face.

"Uhh…. Not that I don't like you dad but.."

A smile took form on older-Cloud's face as he listened to his son's awkward response. Suddenly, he burst out laughing.

"Alright" he said. "I understand…"

Chuckling to himself he made his way towards the pantry and grabbed one of the plates. "Who wants French toast?"

Meanwhile, the younger Cloud stared at the girl named Aerith and the boy named Zack with unreadable expression on his face. Aerith came up beside him.

"I know" she said. "It's a lot take in"

That was an understatement.  
A thousand questions raced through Cloud's mind. Where they really _his _children? Or was it just some illusion? When were they born? Did they inherit his Jenova cells? Did Tifa have difficulty giving birth to them? Who was the cheerful, caring one like Tifa? Who was the quiet one, like him? Did any of them like sword-fighitng or martial arts? or Did they prefer normal things like drawing or bicycle readin? What was their favourite food? What were their favourite colours?

A warm lump took form in his throat as he realized a burning need to have answers. "

Aren't they adorable, Cloud?" came a voice next to him. It was Zack, and he was gazing at the peaceful domestic scene with a wishful look.

"I don't understand" murmured Cloud.

"Isn't it obvious?" asked Aerith who was also moved beside him."This is your family"

Cloud stared stunned.

"But how?"

"Does it matter?" asked Zack.

"Look at them, Cloud" he said. "What do you see?"

Cloud gazed at the spectacle, the family sitting around the table, the adults sitting opposite each other while the children chattered away about nothing in particular.

"Eating breakfast" he said.

"Eating breakfast" repeated Zack. " How could so much happiness come from eating breakfast?"

Cloud stared at the spectacle as if it were some precious and rare gem, he stared at his older self smiling an laughing at every silly thing his children were doing…._his _children. The thought struck Cloud like lightening.

"Family" he murmured. Zack nodded. "Not just any family Cloud, this is _your_ family"

"My family" he repeated as if he were hypnotised. "With Tifa"

"Yes, with Tifa" said Zack. "But there's something else you need to see. Something you must know"

"What is it?" said Cloud, reluctantly turning away from the scene.

"This" said Aerith.

Cloud turned back to the bar only to gasp at what he was seeing. The bar looked different, it was dark and gloomy as if night had fallen over, Cloud looked around, his eyes wide with horror, there was no sunlight streaming through, there was no older version of himself, there was no little Zack and Aerith, there was no warm laughter and light-hearted squeals. The place was so cold, so different, only the familiar shape of the pantry told Cloud that he was in the bar. Horrified, he turned to Aerith.

"What happened? Where's everyone?"

But Aerith merely nodded, gesturing Cloud to look. With apprehension, Cloud turned to see what Aerith was looking at, only to gasp in horror. Tifa was sitting on a stool at the pantry, but it was not the same, cheerful Tifa he saw only seconds ago. This one somehow seemed older, her face aged with premature lines, brought about through stress and worry, her lush dark hair now tainted with premature greys and had a look of neglect about it. Cloud's heart lurched with pity for this Tifa, but he was also confused, wasn't she smiling and laughing only seconds ago? What happened? Did older Cloud do something? Cloud growled to himself, he would never hurt Tifa_. _

Tifa sighed and cast her dark-circled eyes towards the clock. It read midnight, and she huffed angrily to herself, she turned to the phone and was about to reach for it when all of a sudden a door opened and slammed. Tifa jumped at the sudden loud noise, and tensed as she heard footsteps in the hallway. Cloud frowned to himself, when did Tifa become this afraid of him?  
Slighted, he turned towards the entrance already hating the person who was causing Tifa so much stress and anxiety. The footsteps suddenly stopped, the person stood just within range of the light. Cloud clenched his fists as soon as he saw who it was.

Reno.

This Reno didn't look too different from the present one. He had the same spiky red hair, wore his suit in the same scruffy way, and he wore that stupid smirk of his as he gazed on at Tifa.

"Oh hey babe" he said, with a slight slur to his speech. "Wasn't expecting you to wait up"

And with that he turned away and walked towards the stairs, there was slight stagger to his step, he was obviously drunk.

"Reno" said Tifa, speaking for the first time. "We need to talk"

Reno sighed and reluctantly turned around. "Can't it wait till tomorrow? I'm-"

"No" said Tifa, simply. "It can't"

Reno scowled, as if Tifa's interruption had offended him. Reluctantly, he made his way from the foot of stairs to the pantry.

"Okay, what?"

Tifa folded her arms, she looked visibly nervous but determined to continue. "Where were you today?"

Reno sighed scratching his head, Cloud growled angrily, if it were him talking to Tifa, he would give her all his attention, and not play with his hair.

"I was at work, babe" he said, casually. "Thought I told you"

Tifa shook her head, the expression on her face was unreadable.

"You weren't at work" she said. "Of course-"

"I called the WRO" she said. "Reeve said you didn't show up. I called Rufus and he said he hasn't seen you"

"Lies" said Reno, casually.

"Rufus never lies" said Tifa "Not when it comes to his employees"

"Rufus was talking shit" snapped Reno, the alcohol getting the better of him "I was there working for him. Who are you going to believe huh? Your husband or Rufus"

Cloud's eyes widened at the word husband.

Tifa shook her head again.

"You missed Jack's birthday" she said, her eyes tearing. "How could you?"

At these words Reno slapped his forehead with his hand.

"Aw shit" he said.

Tifa glared at him. "_Aw shit! _Is that all you can say? You missed your son's sixth birthday and all you can say is aw shit?"

Cloud stared, more shocked at Tifa swearing than the mention of her son with Reno.

"Look babe, I'll make up to him tomorrow, I'm tired right now"

"So am I Reno" said Tifa, tears falling from her eyes. "I'm tired of your lies, and your betrayal-"

"Whoa, whoa! who said I was lying" said Reno, holding his hands out. "Look-"

"You think I can't smell the perfume on you?" said Tifa. "You think I don't know that you sneak away for _hours _and not come back? You think I don't know that your _late nights_ aren't spent at the office?"

An awkward pause followed these words. It was clear that neither of them were willing to make that final jump that would throw everything out into the open. Cloud glared at Reno.

"Reno, you stupid bastard" he murmured.

Attempting to break the silence, Reno sighed.

"Whatever, babe I'm going to bed, we'll talk in the morning"

He turned to walk away but Tifa grabbed his arm.

"You're not going to bed" she snapped. "You're going to tell me the name of every single woman you've been screwing around with!"

Reno roughly shoved Tifa's arm, the look on his eyes was murderous.

"Who _I've_ been screwing around with!" he yelled, his eyes slightly unfocused because of the alcohol. "What about you, huh?"

Tifa gasped in shock, as if Reno had just slapped on the face.

"What?"

"You heard me" said Reno, smirking. "You think I don't know the _real_ reason you opened this bar when you first moved to Edge?"

"This bar has been closed for two years!" snapped Tifa. "Ever since you ordered me to do it"

"Will excuse me if I don't like guys walking in and out of here whenever they feel like it!"

Tifa narrowed her eyes at Reno's comment.

"What is _that _supposed to mean?"

Cloud's fists were literally shaking with suppressed rage.

"Don't pretend like you don't know what I'm talking about!" snapped Reno. "Guys just keep walking in here. Staying for _long _hours before leaving"

"I can't help it if men like drinking and this was the only place in Edge they could get it!"

"No" sneered Reno. "I bet you couldn't…."

Cloud was marching towards Reno a determined look on his face, "Reno you stupid, good for nothing-"

"There's no point", Cloud" said Zack, sounded oddly distant from the heavy display of emotion he was witnessing. "You can't touch him"

"But-" Cloud was about to argue back when he heard a resounding slap echo across the room. He turned back and couldn't help but smile. Tifa had just slapped Reno, he had obviously said something while Cloud had turned his back.

"What on earth makes you think I'm screwing around with other men!" yelled Tifa.

Reno glared at his wife, his right cheek reddening with each passing second.

"DON'T YOU DARE SLAP ME AGAIN!" he roared.

"OR WHAT?" yelled Tifa.

"Daddy?"

Everyone in the room, visible and non-visible turned towards the source of the voice.

A young boy was standing in the foot of the staircase, he was about six years old, with spiky brown hair, he rubbed his sleepy brown eyes as he looked up at his father.

"Daddy, are you home?"

Instantly, the atmosphere in the room changed. Reno turned towards Tifa, his dark eyes glinting dangerously in the dark pantry.

"Jack, come here"

It was not a request, it was an order, the boy immediately complied and made his way to his father's side, he was so small his head was inches short of Reno's hips.

"Reno, what are you doing?" whispered Tifa, not wanting to be overheard by her son.

Reno ignored Tifa's question and began to stroke Jack's soft, brown hair.

"How was your birthday, Jack?" he asked. "Did all your friends come over?"

Jack gazed up at his father with a sleepy expression on his face.

"Not all of them" he replied sadly.

"That's too bad" said Reno, continuing to stroke his son's hair. "And I'm sorry I didn't come to day either, I promise I'll make it up to you. However your mother must do something for me"

Cloud's heart filled with dread, was Reno that sick, that despicable to ask something obscene of his wife in front of his own son?

"What's that, Daddy?"

Reno returned his gaze towards Tifa and there was a look of open hatred in his eyes.

"Your mother has to tell me who you're _real _father is…NOW!!"

Suddenly his grip on Jack's hair tightened and he roughly pulled the boy's head back.

Jack cried out in pain, "RENO, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!!" yelled Tifa, whose eyes had gone wide with horror. "STOP IT! LET HIM GO"

"Whose Jack's father Tifa. I want to know!"

Tifa's tear-stricken face gazed up at Reno, unable to believe what she was hearing.

"It's YOU" she yelled. "YOUR Jack's father. He's your son!"

"Don't lie to me" yelled Reno, as he pulled Jack away from Tifa who was trying to reach out to him.

"Daddy it hurts!"

"Why would I lie!" yelled Tifa, tears were streaming from her face. "When you're holding my baby boy like that! Let him go!"

"Mommy help!"

"A bar run by the hottest woman in Edge" whispered Reno, whose eyes were glowing with a maniacal glint.

"I thought you were the perfect prize…but you're nothing but a slut!"

"HOW DARE YOU!"

"Then why doesn't Jack look like me, huh?"

"Just because he doesn't have red hair, doesn't mean he isn't your son!"

"He looks nothing like me" yelled Reno.

Jack let out a whimper of pain, and Reno turned his glare towards him.

"See Jack" he said, hoarsely. "See how much pain your mother has put you in?"

And with that he threw Jack against the cupboard, the boy's head smashed into the unforgiving wood and he lay as a crumpled heap on the floor. Cloud watched all this in horror, unable to believe the suffering, the pain and the abuse Tifa was suffering in the hands of this mad man. Tifa's hands flew to her mouth in shock.

"Jack!" she cried. She tried to make her way to her son's side, but Reno grabbed her roughly and pulled her over to him. He roughly grabbed her chin and forced her to look up to him.

"I'm gonna teach you to go behind my back" he hissed.

Reno struck her with the back of his hand. With a cry of pain, Tifa fell to the floor cowering her head.

"Please" she whispered. "Don't"

But the look on Reno's face did not cease at her plea. "I'm gonna have loads of fun" he murmured as he bent over to touch her.

"LEAVE HER ALONE!" roared Cloud, unable to watch anymore.

Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder, and he turned to see who it was. It was Zack.

"I think we've seen enough" he said. "Aerith?"

"I'm on it"

The horrifying vision before him faded to a brilliant white light.

Suddenly he was back in the church. The cool night air hit Cloud like a tidal wave and he fell to the floor, panting as if he had just run a hundred miles. Zack and Aerith stood as they were, unlike Cloud, they didn't seem to be affected by the horrors they had seen just seconds ago.

"What was that?" gasped Cloud. "What did I see?"

"The future" said Aerith.

Cloud looked up at them, still panting hard. "What?"

"The Lifestream enables me to see into the future" clarified Aerith. "You just saw what Tifa's life could be like ten years from now" Cloud looked away stunned.

"She's married to Reno" voicing his thoughts out loud. "And she's suffering because of that"

There was a hint of bitterness in his voice.

"But she could also be married to you" whispered Aerith, kneeling besides Cloud and placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Did you forget the first vision?"

Suddenly the laughter of his children came to mind. _His _children, the thought of the little boy who resembled Tifa and the girl who resembled him sent a warm and fuzzy feeling through his chest and exploded at the pit of his stomach.

"My children, my wife….my family"

He looked up at Aerith stunned. "Was that really me ten years from now?"

"The guy with the beard and laughed a lot? Yeah, I kind of find that hard to believe too"

Aerith turned to gave Zack reprimanding look, who only shrugged in return.

"What?"

But Cloud didn't seem to hear Zack's taunt. He was too preoccupied with thoughts of his own.

"All that?" he murmured. "Was.."

He seemed to having a difficult time processing it all, the simple happiness in having a family was a strange phenomenon to Cloud. After so many dark and trying events, Cloud found it difficult to find happiness and peace, it was a feeling so alien and foreign to him that he simply could not wrap his mind around it. Yet, he had just seen a Cloud ten years older laughing and smiling, enjoying the simple beauty of life that was his family.  
Could Cloud be such a man? Could he be content with such a life? He had tried only to run away in the end. Aerith was still kneeling beside him and a small smile crept to her face as she watched him.

"You find it difficult to believe don't you?"

"It's just…a lot" Aerith nodded.

"But" said Cloud, getting to his feet. "Was it real?"

"It could be" said Aerith, getting to her own feet. "Provided if Tifa isn't taken by someone else"

Cloud nodded, the horrors of Tifa's life with Reno still clear in his mind, like burning hot coals in a fireplace.

"Don't you see Cloud" asked Zack. "You were wondering if you could ever find happiness in your life, and the answer is yes you can, but not without fighting….fighting for Tifa"

"I just don't understand why she would marry Reno if he's going to be such a jerk" said Cloud "Maybe you should ask her instead of coming to your bull-headed conclusions" said Aerith, smiling.

As soon as she spoke these words, her head snapped towards the roof of the church, Cloud followed her gaze. The faintest glimmer of sunlight filtered through the broken roof, casting a pale yellow light upon the church.

"Dawn is approaching" said Aerith, and she turned around to face Cloud, and there was a certain fierceness in her gaze "Cloud you have to make a choice" she said. "You can stay here and mop about how sad and depressing your life has been….or you can act on what we have shown you and save Tifa's life as well as your own"

Cloud nodded, he finally understood. Aerith nodded as Zack came up to her.

"Good luck Cloud" she whispered. "I hope you and Tifa find happiness. I can't think of anyone else who deserves more than you two"

Zack gave a casual salute and Cloud watched as the two disappeared in a dazzle of white light. Cloud's small smile faded as he turned and made his way towards the double doors of the church, his footsteps echoing across the church in his newfound confidence. With one heave he pulled at the double doors of the church, a breeze ruffled his hair in greeting as took a deep breath, his chest heaving with fresh air. Aerith said that he had a choice, to do something or do nothing. The way Cloud saw it, there was no choice to be made. He was done moping and hiding, he was going to change, from this day onwards he would live his life differently. He was going to stop Tifa from making the biggest mistake of his life, tell her how much he loved her and marry her, and have children with her… just like in the vision.

It was dawn, according to the invitation, the wedding would start late in the morning.

He had only a couple of hours to formulate a plan and stop the wedding from taking place.

* * *

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed it. Review and let me know!!!**


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: We come to it at last!!! First off, I want to apologise for the long time between updates, but reality was calling...and it was calling loudly. I stopped writing this fic a month before my exams started, and after FINALLY finishing high school I just couldn't sit down and do some good typing, and then just when I was ready....my keyboard stopped working...yep that was irritating. It took me quite a while to replace it._

_I would like to thank DynastyWARRIORS, vLuna, MyfinalfantasyVII, Marisa, BrownSugarCandy, Infinite Devil Machine, Aziza-Chan, KCVII, Fantasy girl, tresa, Epic Popcorn, Sesshormaru Dogdemon, A Morning Star and Firesword for your awesome reviews and I hope you guys along with all the readers will enjoy this chapter. _

_On to the story, this is probably the loooongest chapter yet. For those who don't like long chapters, brace yourself. But I promise you, It will be worth it. _

* * *

Chapter 7

_6:00 a.m. Ruins of Midgar. _

The sun was rising, and with it a new day was dawning upon the world.

To Cloud today had special significance, for the first time in his life, he now had a chance to make a fresh start. Cloud was finally beginning to appreciate the significance of the rising sun A new life, new found happiness and newfound peace. A gentle breeze caressed his blonde, spiky hair as he held a phone to his ear, tapping his foot with impatience.

"Come on, Yuffie" he murmured.

He hoped that the ninja did not choose this morning of all mornings to sleep in. There were literally, lives at stake

The monotonous ringing tone was broken by an impatient voice.

"Hello? Who is this?"

Cloud almost sighed with relief.

"Yuffie" he said. "I need-"

"I SAID who is this?" interrupted Yuffie, and then she gasped as she recognized the caller. "Cloud? _Cloud?" _

"Hello, Yuffie"

"Cloud? What makes you think you can call after you walked out the way you did? Huh? _Answer me Cloud!" _

"It's a long story" he said, he was not in a mood to get into a discussion about his thoughts and feelings, especially with Yuffie, who could safely be branded as the gossip girl of the group."I need to know where the wedding is," he said. "Can you tell me where it's taking place?"

"Why" said Yuffie, on the other end of the line. "So that you can swoop in on Tifa's happy day and ruin it for her?"

"I wasn't planning to _swoop in" _hissed Cloud.

_More like, charge Fenrir through the door._ He thought to himself

"Of course you were"

"Vincent swoops, _I don't swoop" _

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line.

"Whatever! You're both are the same!"

"Yeah it's really hard distinguishing between the two of us" said Cloud. "What with Vincent's metal arm, his cloak, Chaos, his wonderful shoes…did I mention his cloak?"

"This is _so _not the way to get information out of me, Cloud" said Yuffie.

"I just want to see Tifa…" started Cloud, but was interrupted.

"Why should I tell you anything?" snapped Yuffie. "After you stormed out the way you did. She was really hurt by that, you know"

Cloud wasn't surprised to hear that Tifa knew that he came to the house, nothing stayed secret for long with Yuffie around.

"That's exactly why I want to talk to her," he said, improvising quickly. "Things are pretty bad between us, I just wanted to sort them out, and… that's all. Please, Yuffie" he added.

His heartfelt plea, touched Yuffie as she said.

"The wedding's taking place in a chapel" she said.

"Which one?" asked Cloud.

He had seen several small chapels throughout Edge during his time at the Delivery Service.

"It's this tiny place outside Edge" said Yuffie. "It's really small but it's absolutely beautiful"

"Right, thanks a lot, Yuffie"

"One more thing, Cloud" said Yuffie, before he could hang up. "I gave you the location, because you needed to talk to Tifa, but if you do _anything _to mess this day. I swear I will go Wutai all over your ass, and you don't want me to do that"

"You wouldn't get within five feet of my ass" murmured Cloud.

"_What was that?"_

"Nothing, thanks for the info, bye Yuffie"

He hastily hung up before Yuffie could figure out what he had just said. He casually strode over to Fenrir and mounted the bike. He opened the compartment to ensure that all his swords were still stored, he wasn't planning on using his weapons, especially in a church, but it never hurt to be a little cautious. As he put on his riding goggles, he thought about the time and distance he would take to reach his destination. There was only one chapel outside of Edge, Cloud had passed it a couple of times on his way to Rocket Town. It was as Yuffie said, a small place, almost indistinguishable at a distance. Cloud had only been inside the place once, to ask for water in the middle of a hot day. According to the invitation Reno had given him, the wedding would start at 9.30 in the morning. Cloud's plan was simple, he was hoping to get there well before that that time, so that he could talk to Tifa without causing too much of a scene. Cloud was not sure how Tifa would react, for all he knew, she might call the other Turks to have him thrown out, but he refused to sit back and do nothing, not after the vision that Aerith and Zack showed him.

Cloud knew that he would take at least one hour to get to the chapel, maybe less if he rode Fenrir at top speed.

_Got nothing to lose _he thought to himself.

Cloud kicked the engine to life, the machine roared, as if greeting it's master. Cloud couldn't help but smirk as he felt the familiar vibration under his fingers. He smiled and whispered.

"Let's go, Fenrir" and sped away from the church, leaving behind a trail of dust.

* * *

_6:05 a.m. Seventh Heaven _

Yuffie hung up the phone with a feeling of trepidation tingling down her spine.

"I have a bad feeling about this" she murmured to herself, fingering the phone as it were a suspicious device.

Cloud wasn't himself during that phone call, something about him changed. It wasn't just what he said, but _how_ he spoke as well. He was bright and perky…almost happy. Yuffie shivered, somehow the thought of a happy, smiling Cloud just didn't seem right in her books. Probably because she never seen him smile since she had met him, in fact, she doubted if anyone in the _entire world _had ever seen Cloud smile, the exception, probably being Tifa.

"Tifa…" murmured Yuffie, her thoughts coming back to the present.

There were getting ready to leave and Tifa was still in her room. She turned around and headed towards the staircase, she was about to place her foot on the first step when she heard a loud voice.

"I'll be damned if I'm gonna be ordered around by some Turk!" yelled Barret. "Now outta my way!"

Yuffie silently thought to herself that if the Turk in question had any sense, he (or she) would step aside and not provoke Barret any further.

"Whataya mean that ain't possible? Get OUT OF MY WAY SPIKES!"

"For Jenova's sake" hissed Yuffie, turning towards the living room and sprinting on the direction where the yelling was coming from.

She entered the living room/bar, where Barret was towering over a young Turk half his size, the Turk in question was a he.

_I knew it! _Thought Yuffie, triumphantly. _Only a man would do something this stupid! _

Barret's face was scrunched up in anger, as he practically towered over the young man. Yuffie sensed another tantrum coming and spoke quickly.

"Barret!" she hissed.

The large man looked up immediately.

"Yuffie!" he snapped. "Why da hell is this mangy mutt standing in my way?"

Privately, Yuffie was surprised that Barret didn't toss the Turk aside like a piece of garbage, he was certainly strong enough to do that.

"Barret, why are you here?" she asked. "The wedding will start in a few hours, and we're just about to leave. I thought you said you wanted _nothing _to do with this wedding?"

Barret suddenly turned sheepish and began to rub the back of his head.

It had been only five days ago, when Barret had walked in, with the decorations for the house complete for the welcome of the soon-to-be married couple. The decorations seemed to be a confirmation to Barret that a wedding would be taking place soon, and he had left, yelling about how he refused to see Tifa marry some red-headed pig. Yuffie had been furious with Barret for his actions, because she knew that he had hurt Tifa. The ninja would frequently catch her friend hastily wiping tears away whenever she entered the room.

"Yeah" said Barret, as he recalled the yelling. "About that, I was hoping I could talk to Tifa"

"No" said Yuffie, firmly.

Barret frowned. "Whatya mean no?"

"I mean _no_" said Yuffie, firmly. "This wedding has been stressful enough for Tifa without you insulting her fiancé and yelling about how'll you never support her"

"Yuffie" snapped Barret. "This ain't what you think it is"

"Then enlighten me!"

"Barret?"

Barret turned his attention to the speaker. "Tifa" he said. "I wanna to talk to you, and I swear it's not what you think it is"

Tifa was standing in the doorway, wearing a purple sleeveless top and matching pyjama trousers, the gaunt expression on her face told Yuffie that she had just woken up.

"It's a bit early" she said, glancing at the clock.

It read _6.10 am_.

"But sure, come into the pantry"

Yuffie glanced at Tifa with concern; she was usually so peppy and pleasant in the morning, but today she was unusually gloomy and morbid.

_Must be wedding jitters_ she thought to herself, shrugging.

Tifa entered the pantry with Barret in tow, without saying anything to him,she entered the pantry and pulled out a pan from the cupboard. Barret raised his eyebrows as Tifa then pulled out milk, eggs and butter.

Why is she making breakfast? Wasn't she supposed to get ready for the wedding?

He pushed the thought aside and decided to focus on what he had to say.

"Listen, Tifa" he said. "About the other day…"

"You mean the day you stormed into the bar, _uninvited, _insulted my fiancé and damned my wedding to hell?" snapped Tifa, a bite of impatience in her voice.

The egg she was holding in her hand cracked under her strong grip.

"Uh" said Barret, thinking that he would be very lucky if he escaped the fate of that egg. "I was wrong. I'm sorry"

For a moment Tifa paused, she cocked her head in his direction though she didn't look at him, before continuing with the bustle of breakfast.

"I shouldn't have said those things" continued Barret. "I mean…" he trailed off.

Tifa frowned, Barret seemed so unsure of himself, what was going on?

"Tifa" he said. His voice seemed different now. "I want you to look at me" he said.

Hesitantly, she turned around and looked up at him. He was standing now, and looking down at Tifa with large brown eyes.

"I don't like Reno" he said. "He's a Turk, an idiot, a prick, a fool who doesn't deserve someone like you"

Tifa raised an eyebrow.

"Is this your way of apologizing?"

"I ain't finished" said Barret. "But I now realize that you must really love him"

_That was so two weeks ago _thought Tifa.

"And while I think there's a better person out there" said Barret.

Tifa was sure that he was referring to one single man in particular, and pushed the thought aside.

"If you really want to marry this guy" he said. He took a deep breath, as if looking for the resolve to complete his words.

"I'll support and stand by you, no matter how much I don't like it"

Silence followed this statement. Tifa took a deep breath, her eyes were shining with tears.

"Do you really mean that?" she whispered.

Barret nodded. "Tifa? You're crying"

Without another word, Tifa walked around the pantry and gave Barret a tight hug. Barret hugged her back.

"I'm so glad you said that Barret" she whispered. "I've been so scared and…alone"

"You're not alone, Tifa" said Barret, softly, as he stroked her hair. He was showing his gentle and paternal side, there were only two people in the world who saw that side of him, Marlene and Tifa.

Suddenly, Tifa looked up, a small frown on her face.

"Did Marlene put you up to this?" she asked, Barret looked taken aback.

"What? No"

Tifa nodded. "Okay" she murmured, before burying her face in his chest.

"I'm so glad you're with me" said Tifa.

Barret smiled at her heartfelt words. "I'll always be with you, Teef"

* * *

_7:00 a.m. Somewhere outside Edge _

The chapel turned out to be a small but quaint little place sitting on top of a hill more than five miles beyond the city borders. Cloud could recall the time when he had once told Tifa about this quite little chapel, far away from the urban noises of Edge. She had expressed curiosity and asked him if he could take her there. The next day they made their way to the chapel, it had been a two-hour journey due to the traffic within the city. It was a hot, humid day, and Cloud was irritated because he had to travel to Rocket Town. However, the look on Tifa's face told him that all the sweat and thirst had been worth it. She didn't say a word, but Cloud knew that she had fallen in love with the place the instant she set eyes on it.

Cloud knew that it would have been Tifa who would have chosen such a small, humble place for her wedding. He was certain, that Reno, with his taste in 2000 gil suits, would not have even set his eyes on this chapel.

Cloud's heart was racing as Fenrir roared up the hill. He had not given a second thought as to what he might say to Tifa,

_Tell her that I lover her _

But what do you say? Cloud was never a person to talk about his feelings, and he was about to speak his heart to the woman he loved. Cloud grimaced, that was the problem, Tifa wasn't _just _the woman he loved. Their relationship had been through so much; Tifa was his friend, comrade, ally, and the one who held his deepest secrets. You couldn't just go up to someone like that and tell them _I love you. Marry me. _It was just too complicated.

_I'm going to need help _thought Cloud. _But first I need to stop this wedding. _

He brought Fenrir to a halt outside the entrance. An arch framed the entrance to the chapel, it was adorned with large letters painted in white that said _Angel Groove Chapel _Cloud dismounted his bike and hesitated for a moment. Should he bring his swords with him? He immediately shook his head at the idea, his swords may be his immobile companions but he was not looking for a fight, plus it was a bad idea to bring a sword into a chapel.

Cloud took a deep breath, and rubbed his chest. His heart was causing shockwaves that reverberated throughout his body. He had never been this nervous before in his life. He suddenly wished that Sephiorth and Meteor would return, handling _that _would have been much easier. He passed the entrance and discovered to his surprise a little garden around the chapel, it was nothing more than a small sparse lawn with a few bushes and flowers growing in random places, but it was nevertheless, pleasing to the eye to see a vessel of green and fresh plants amidst the barren desert. Taking a deep breath, Cloud walked up to the doors of the chapel and pushed them open.

The room was fairly small, half a dozen pews aligned in an orderly fashion, the place did not have windows, rather they were several doors on each side of the building that were thrown open allowing sunlight to flood the room. Cloud looked around, the place was empty, no decorations adorned the place, and there was nothing to indicate that a wedding would be taking place soon. Cloud frowned, what was going on? Did Yuffie give him the wrong address on purpose? If so, what was the point?

He growled angrily and turned around to leave, only to find two men blocking the entrance, both men were in T-shirts and jeans their stiff posture betrayed any pretence of being casual. Cloud immediately frowned in suspicion.

"Who are you?" he asked.

No response.

"There should be a wedding taking place soon" said Cloud. "Do you know anything about it?"

No response.

He frowned in annoyance. "If that's the case" he said. "I see no reason to stay here"

Cloud turned to leave through one of the many side doors.

"I'm afraid I can't let you leave, sir" spoke one of the men.

Cloud stopped in his tracks, a smirk on his face.

"Excuse Me?" he said, feeling slightly incredulous.

"I am afraid-"

"I heard you the first time" snapped Cloud, who was torn between amusement and irritation. "And let me tell you this, I don't care who you are or why you're here, but if you come in my way I will shove your head up your friend's ass, you hear me?"

"We are here to ensure your presence within the vicinity… by any means necessary" said one of the men, nothing in his tone indicated that he had heard Cloud.

"Piss off" murmured Cloud before walking away.

He heard someone running towards him. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed one of the men running at him with a rod in his hand. Cloud had resolved that he would not get involved fights, but this man _needed _what was coming his way.

Smirking, Cloud immediately turned around and swung his fist at the guy. The man saw it coming and ducked. Using the momentum from his missed punch, Cloud spun around and brought his other fist up. He made contact with the man's stomach and he fell over, his entire upper body falling onto Cloud's arm. Clouds tossed him aside like a piece of garbage. He collapsed onto the ground gasping for breath. He struggled to his feet, his hands reaching for his rod. Cloud watched amused as he got to his feet, rod in one hand.

"You don't want to do this. Trust me on that one" said Cloud, feeling both irritated and amused. "And I don't want to fight you, I'm on a tight schedule, so why don't we just call it a truce and go our separate ways?"

Without saying a word, the man launched a kick to the side of Cloud's head. Cloud ducked underneath the leg, before launching a kick of his own. Cloud didn't kick the man hard, and he only staggered back. He charged at Cloud, waving his rod in the air. Cloud grabbed the man by the scruff of his neck and slammed him against the wall of the chapel. The man gasped in pain.

"What are you doing here?" he snapped. "Why did you attack me?"

In response, the man shook his head, clearly indicating that he was not talking. Cloud growled and was about to yell at him when suddenly he noticed the weapon that fell to the floor. The weapon gleamed with familiarity and he immediately recognised it. His anger sparked into a burning rage as he turned back to the man, eyes blazing.

"You're a Turk" he hissed. "Reno sent you here, didn't he? You were sent to kill me!"

The man shook his head.

"To hold you here" he said. "Not to kill you"

Cloud growled and hit the man hard on his head. He fell to the floor unconscious.

Cloud immediately looked around, the man's partner was nowhere to be seen, and the chapel was empty. Cloud growled angrily to himself before using one of the side doors to leave the chapel. Who did Reno think he was? Sending people to kill him? How did he even know he was going to be here? Cloud made his way across the small garden where his faithful Fenrir was waiting for him.

_Is Yuffie working with Reno? _Thought Cloud.

His instincts told him no, Yuffie resented the Turks as much as he did, but she was willing to put up with them for Tifa's sake, but then again, there was no other explanation for what had just happened. Cloud shook his head angrily. There was no point thinking about unnecessary theories and possibilities. He needed to find out where the wedding was taking place and he had two hours to do it.

Cloud reached Fenrir and mounted the bike. He pushed down the lever with his left foot while setting the clutch; he pressed the ignition button expecting the bike to roar to life.

Nothing happened.

Frowning, Cloud repeated the process, this time pressing the ignition button a lot harder. The engine made a weak noise before sputtering and dying out.

_Uh Oh _thought Cloud. _This isn't good. _

He tried once again to turn on the engine, nothing happened.

"What the hell!" yelled Cloud, he checked the fuel meter, the reading indicated that the tank was full. So how come the engine wouldn't start? He turned back to the chapel, and recalled the two men who were inside.

_We are here to ensure your presence within this vicinity, by any means necessary. _T

hen, it hit him like a bolt of lightening.

The Turks had tampered with Fenrir, _his _bike.

Unable to hold back his temper, Cloud turned his head to the skies and yelled.

He was stranded more than five miles outside of Edge, and his only form of transport was not working.

* * *

_8.00 am, Seventh Heaven _

Tifa had never been so nervous and distraught in all her life, the past two weeks had been some of the most emotionally turbulent times in her life. It was hard to believe, that not more than a month ago, a clandestine relationship with Reno was the cause of so much happiness. She had once seen it as exciting, and now it felt wrong, as if she was cheating on Cloud.

Tifa took a deep breath trying to suppress any tears that would swell her eyes and ruin her mascara. Her thoughts returned to Cloud, she had not seen him since that night he had kissed her. She had hoped that the message she had left for him would have changed his mind. Tifa had hoped that Cloud would come to her and they would somehow solve this situation. But silence from Cloud, and Yuffie's words about his behaviour, killed any hope she might have had of getting out of this situation.

_He's not coming _she told herself, firmly. _He's not coming even though you told him how you felt, he doesn't love you, and he never has. _

A tear split down her cheeks. She hastily wiped it away; the last thing she needed to do was ruin her makeup by crying over a man who didn't reciprocate her feelings. For all she knew, Cloud was probably on his way to some far off place like Costa De Sol.

Tifa sighed with disappointment, as her train of thought continued to focus on Cloud. It had always been difficult deciphering Cloud's feelings. He was a private person who usually kept his thoughts and feelings wrapped up tightly, even she who knew him best. could not decipher the feelings within Cloud's heart, his thoughts or even his desires. Tifa thought that she finally knew him when he had kissed her that night in the church, Tifa thought that she finally realized his true desires, and now she wasn't sure if she knew him as well as she thought she did.

"Tifa"

Tifa immediately looked up recognizing the voice. Cloud was standing behind her, looking at her with his intense blue eyes. Tifa tired to ignore the surge of elation and happiness she felt at seeing him, she had no idea how he got in here, she had not heard the door open or close.

"How did you get in here?" she gasped, not moving from her seat.

"It doesn't matter" said Cloud. "What matters is what you're doing to yourself isn't right"

Tifa looked away. "What choice do I have, Cloud? I can't let anything happen to you or Denzel"

Cloud leaned over, so that his face was right next to hers.

"You have me," he whispered. "I'll protect you, I will keep you safe, Tifa, you are the only woman I've ever loved, my koibito"

Tifa was so overwhelmed that she was speechless.

"Cloud..." she gasped.

Cloud leaned in; his lips inches from hers, Tifa closed her eyes waiting for the kiss. It never came. Confused, Tifa opened her eyes and looked around. "Cloud?" The room was empty; there was no one apart from herself. Tifa gulped.

_Don't cry now, Tifa _she thought to herself. _Whatever you do, don't start crying now," _

Tifa took a deep breath, trying to allay the weight of disappointment suffocating her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, determined not to cry, this was her wedding day, and people simply did not cry on their wedding day.

When Tifa had settled down and opened Seventh Heaven, she had been very optimistic about the future. She had a steadfast belief that fate would be kind to her after all that she gone through since she was sixteen. But today clearly showed that this was not the case. She was marrying a man she no longer loved because Denzel's life was in danger; she had come to love that boy as if she was his own and Tifa would do anything in her power to make sure he was his safe, even if it meant giving herself up to a man she no longer loved.

Tifa had thought about telling either Yuffie or Barret about the threat Tseng had posed. She was certain Barret would go berserk and tear the man into pieces. But she was sure that Tseng was expecting this and had a plan to subdue all her friends, and she refused to drag the people she loved into the pit hole with her.

Tifa shook her head with a grimace, knowing that she wasn't being honest with herself.

_Come on, Tifa _she thought. _There's another reason why you're not telling Barret about Tseng. _

It was not another reason it was the _only _reason. Tifa was marrying Reno not because Tseng had threatened Denzel, but because Cloud had not answered her phone call, he had not replied to her message, and he had turned away from her call of love.

A knock on the door jarred Tifa out of her thoughts.

"Come, in" she said. She knew who it was the moment the person knocked.

Yuffe peeped into the room. She had shed her Wutian clothes for a dress of pale purple that hung loosely on to her body.

Tifa smiled at her. "You look beautiful, Yuffie"

The ninja smiled. "Nothing compared to you, you ready? Got your jacket?"

"Yeah, let's go"

Tifa left her room and closed the door behind her. Yuffie fell behind as they made their way down the corridor, through the bar and out of the house.

The street was bathed in sunlight, causing the dull buildings to look brighter than usual. There were three sleek, black, elegant cars just outside the bar with the drivers standing beside them. The third and final one was directly in front of her. A driver leaned over and opened the door for her. Tifa stepped inside closely followed by Yuffie.

Tifa turned to her friend.

"Where's Barret" she said. "I thought he was coming with us"

Yuffie affirmed Tifa's statement with a nod.

"He is, but he said that he wants to ride with Reno"

Tifa nodded, she wouldn't be surprised if Barret was taking the opportunity to give Reno a pep talk.

"Look there they are!" said Yuffie.

Tifa casually turned around to look through the window. She could recognise Barret's burly form, and Reno's vivid red hair as they made their way towards the first car.

"Oooh! Look how hot Reno is!" gushed Yuffie, she turned back to Tifa, a small smile on her face. "I can see why you are marrying him"

Tifa merely nodded before turning to look out from her window. She was determined to speak as little as possible out of fear that her voice would betray her and all her emotions would spill out. Tifa took a deep breath to steady herself as the driver turned back to them.

"Reno wanted me to tell you that there has been a change in plan" he said, looking at Tifa.

The brunette glared at him.

"What change of plan?" she said, sharply.

"There has been a change in venue" he said.

Tifa's eyebrows shot up. "Excuse me?"

"Angel Groove Chapel outside the city is simply too far and does not have adequate capacity to hold all the guests. Octium Church on the other hand is much larger and within the city"

For a moment, Tifa was furious.

"So he changed the venue without telling me in advance?" she said angrily.

"He can't do that" said Yuffie, feeling annoyed.

"I am sorry I have to be the one to tell you this" said the driver, nothing in his robotic tone indicated that he was genuinely sorry. "But Reno is my superior and I have my orders"

Tifa was about to yell at the driver when she suddenly realized that she didn't have the strength, nor the stomach to start a ruckus over a small chapel.

"Fine" she murmured.

_Let's get this over with _She thought to herself.

Yuffie stared at her in surprise.

"Tifa" she started.

"It doesn't matter, Yuffie" said Tifa. "It's just a chapel, no big deal"

"But it _is_ a big deal-"

"Can we go!" yelled Tifa, determined not to talk about this anymore. "Now!"

The driver nodded, and started the engine. The remaining two cars started up in unison. The first car drove off followed by the second, and finally, the third. Tifa stared outside her window, looking wistfully at the buildings, trying her best to ignore the worried looks that Yuffie was giving her.

* * *

_7.00 a.m. Hotel Ritz _

Reno grumbled as he attempted to comb his usually messy hair. Today was the last day he would be staying in this hotel, a thought that cheered him up considerably. The Turk had been forced to get a room after Yuffie had kicked him out of Tifa's house, reciting that tiresome cliché.

_"It's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding"_

"Stupid, Wutian" he murmured, thinking about Yuffie.

For the past few days, Reno had occupied the room with no one but Rude for company, who occasionally dropped by for a drink and a chat. He was denied the pleasure of Tifa's company (he was certain he would feel more excited about the wedding once he saw her). But while it had been lonely, and not to mention, boring for Reno, it did have it's advantages. Since he was alone, had been able to prepare for Cloud and his lackeys without fear of being interrupted. He was certain, beyond any doubt, that if left to himself, Cloud would burst in what could be the most important day of his life and ruin it for him. What was worse was that he was certain that Tifa was _hoping _that Cloud would disrupt proceedings. Reno had no faith in Cloud's lackeys either, Barret Wallace and Cid Highwind. He knew that they returned his feelings of intense dislike, and would help Cloud in ruining his day. Reno couldn't have it, he couldn't have _his _Tifa taken away from him.

After years of promiscuous girls, and endless missions for Shinra (many of which were brutal if not atrocious) Reno wanted a nice woman to settle down with and lead a peaceful life, someone to cook his meals and wash his clothes. Reno genuinely liked Tifa Lockheart, she was a special woman, hotter than most of the women he had dated, and with too much integrity to cheat on her man. Tifa was the sort of person that Reno wanted to settle down with.

Unfortunately, there was a problem of her childhood friend Cloud Strife, throughout the months Reno had dated Tifa, she would always tell him that her relationship with Cloud was platonic and that they were nothing more than friends. But Reno was not foolish; one did not rise through the ranks of the Turks if they put too much faith in empty words. Childhood friendship was sweet and romantic; at least that's what Elena said, and Reno always suspected Cloud to be the one who could disrupt his relationship with Tifa. Unfortunately, as much as Reno resented Cloud, he couldn't just have him killed as he would he liked to. Cloud was too important to Tifa, and furthermore, he was a former SOLDIER who had defeated Sephiroth twice. Reno was certain that if Sephiroth couldn't beat Cloud then nothing could. The best Reno could do, was outsmart Cloud.

Reno's cell phone rang, the usually soft tune unusually loud to his ears. Reno crossed from the toilet into his bedroom and picked up the phone, and flipped it open.

"Reno" he said curtly.

"Sir" came the reply.

Reno recognised the voice. "Nunchaku**?**" he said. "How did it go?"

"Operation was a mixed bag"

Reno raised his eyebrows, a momentary feeling of dread flashed through his mind.

"What?"

"Rod managed to disable the bike successfully," he said. "But he also engaged target in direct hand-to-hand combat"

Reno groaned.

_Moran _he thought to himself, he already knew the outcome of the fight without any clarification needed.

"Your orders were not to engage him!" he snapped. "What part of that sentence couldn't you understand?"

"Target tried to leave the vicinity, sir, we had little choice"

_That's always the problem when dealing with Cloud Strife _thought Reno.

"Tell me that he's safe?" He would hate it if one of his team mates were seriously injured or worse.

"He's fine, managed to retrieve him and we're on our way to Edge"

"Good" Reno smirked to himself, as he flipped his phone closed, everything was going according to plan, by the time Cloud reached Edge he and Tifa would be on their way to their honeymoon.

A cough jarred him out of his thoughts. Reno turned around to see Rude standing at the doorway, wearing his sunglasses and trademark stoical expression.

"That was Nunchaku, wasn't it?" he said.

Reno glared at him.

"How long have you been standing there?"

"What are you up to, Reno?" asked Rude.

"I don't know what you mean" snapped Reno turning towards his bed and taking the socks he had set out earlier.

"You're planning something" said Rude.

He had not moved from his position, nothing in his stoical position hinted at his feelings.

"Yeah, you're right I'm planning something" responded Reno, now putting on his shirt and trousers.

"They're called _wedding vows_"

"On the phone with Nunchaku and Rod?" asked Rude. "Those guys aren't the sentimental types"

"Whatever" snapped Reno, now putting on his shirt.

Reno usually took meticulous time and painstaking effort when it came to his clothes, but Rude's comments had disturbed him, causing him to rush through the process. Rude noticed Reno's change in attitude and frowned.

"What do you want, Rude?" said Reno. "Why are you here?"

"I'm suppose to pick you up" said Rude. "Cars are waiting at Seventh Heaven, they'll take us to the church"

Reno looked at Rude. "I thought I wasn't allowed to see the bride before the wedding" he said. "Yuffie and I will make sure that you don't see Tifa before that… well…actually Yuffie and Elena"

"Fine" said Reno.

He grabbed his tie and walked up to Rude, who was a foot taller than him.

"Let's go" he said attempting to shove past his friend.

"Reno, wait" said Rude, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Reno looked at the gloved hand in surprise. Rude hardly touched _anyone_, unless it was to punch someone.

"I'm your partner" said Rude. "It's my job to watch your back whenever you're in danger"

"Yeah, thanks for the memo" said Reno.

"I'm _also_ your friend" continued Rude, frowning. "And as your friend 'watching your back' takes on a whole different meaning"

Reno raised an eyebrow. "What's that suppose to mean?"

Rude stared at Reno for a few moments, before turning away from his partner.

"Let's go"

For a few seconds, Reno stared at Rude, trying hard to process what he had just said. After a few minutes, he gave it up with a shrug and followed his partner.

* * *

_8.35 a.m. Streets of Edge _

Sitting at one end of the car, Barret glared at Reno as if he was trying to drill a hole into his head. Feeling slightly uncomfortable, Reno turned towards Barret.

"Is there something bothering you?" he said. "Or you just forgot how to smile?"

Barret continued to glare at Reno. "I can see that Tifa ain't marrying you for your sense of humour" he remarked.

Reno rolled his eyes.

"She's marrying me for my perks, big guy"

Barret frowned.

"Tifa ain't that shallow to marry someone for perks," he snapped. "If you think that's what she's like then you've got her figured out all wrong"

"What do you want Barret?" asked Reno. "I let you ride with me only because you're important to Tifa, otherwise I would have just dumped you in the second car with the others"

Barret growled like an agitated cat, resisting the urge to pummel Reno.

"I'm here to talk about Tifa and your marriage"

Reno looked over and raised an eyebrow at him, as if he simply couldn't be bothered to listen to Barret.

"Tifa has been through a lot" he said. "And no thanks to that damn company you used to work for"

"The one which you destroyed" murmured Reno, under his breath. Barret ignored the comment.

"This is the time of Tifa's life when she should get the peace and happiness she has earned" said Barret. "And you're gonna make damn sure that you're going to spend every waking minute of your life making her happy. If I get any wind that you ain't treating her right you gonna answer to me. I ain't her father, but I've raised her since she was sixteen and love her like my own daughter, and let me make this pretty clear to you. I tend to get pretty angry when someone don't treat my family right, and you don't wanna see me angry. Clear?"

Reno stared blankly in front of him, whether he was listening to Barret's words or simply daydreaming it was hard to tell. It was pretty obvious, however, that he was not respecting Barret or his words.

"Whatever" he replied, smiling. "We're here," he said.

Reno turned to Barret with a smirk. "Time to give that lovely daughter of yours away"

Barret clenched his fists in anger.

_How can Tifa marry a guy like this? _

He thought to himself, angrily. Barret loved Tifa like his own daughter, but she was also woman, and at times, women tended to be strange creatures.

Barret got down from the car and observed the building they had stopped at. From it's dull, stone exterior Barret could tell that this wasn't a new church but a rather old one. He was certain that before Edge was developed, the church was situated on the outskirts of Midgar so as to stay clear of the traffic noises. Barret found it ironic that the church was now in the centre of the traffic hub of a new city.

"You coming in?" called a voice.

Reno was standing at the double oak doors, holding one open. Barret turned towards the road, several cars zoomed in and out of sight, but theirs was the only car that was parked alongside the street.

"Where are the other cars?" he asked, looking at Reno.

The Turk shrugged in response "Must have been caught in traffic" he said. "We've got plenty of time to prepare. Don't worry"

Barret nodded, though he was still suspicious. Reno was still holding the door open him. Barret continued to glare at the man, clearly not trusting his motives. Reno was being too nice for his liking, according to Barret's book; Turks were hardly nice unless they had something in mind. Barret scrutinised the Turk, knowing that reading people wasn't his greatest talent. Reno was staring back at him with a neutral look, not betraying a hint of emotion. Finally, Barret grudgingly accepted Reno's act of hospitality and entered the church, and gasped at what he saw.

The church was a derelict mess. There were several wooden pews; some were broken, while others looked like woodlice have ravaged them. A stained glass painting, cracked in certain places, adorned the wall above the altar. Tiles were cracked and broken in certain places, stains of dirt and mud caked the once white walls. A chandelier dangled dangerously above the floor by a broken chain, A stale smell hung about the air. Barret stared, aghast at the church, unable to believe what he was seeing.

"Da hell is goin' on here!" he yelled, whirling around to face Reno, but Reno was no longer standing at the entrance.

In fact, he wasn't anywhere inside the church. Instead, Barret was now looking at a group of people. One of the men, a tall, lean man with blonde hair slicked back, turned around facing the entrance, and began fumbling with something in his hands. Barret could not see what he was doing, but a moment later he heard a _click. _The blonde man turned around and Barret saw a huge padlock and a chain around the door handles.

"Da hell are you doin?" roared Barret, though he already an idea what was going on.

"Our orders were to ensure that you maintain your presence within the area, Barret Wallace" said the blonde Turk. "We're not seeking a fight so please kindly remain cooperative and we will let you go at the designated time"

Barret growled angrily. "If you think you can keep me here" he said, softly. "You're damn well mistaken!"

"It would be mutually preferable if you do not resist" said the blonde Turk. "We will be forced to respond harshly to any form of violence"

Barret let a loud roar of anger, and held out his arm, the machine gun whirred to life. "Let's see what you've Turks got" he said.

* * *

_8.45 a.m. Rocket Town_

"Shera will yeh move yeh frickin' tosh already?" yelled Cid, puffing on his cigar. "I takes about half an hour to reach Edge! Not teh mention I've gotta find a parking space for the Shera"

"I don't see what's the hurry, Cid" called Shera gaily, her voice echoing from their room. She knew that Cid would be grumpier than usual. Weddings were never his cup of tea, especially when the wedding involved the Turks.

"The wedding wouldn't start till 10:30, and put that cigar out! You'll smell like tobacco at church!"

"I ain't smoking! Quit nagging!" yelled Cid, hastily putting out his cigar.

Just then his PDA rang.

"Cid will you get it?"

Cid ran a hand through his hair before getting up from the couch and picking up his PDA. He glanced at the caller ID.

"Unknown" he murmured. "That doesn't sound good"

He accepted the call and pressed it to his ear.

"Whose this?" he snapped.

"The wedding of Reno Cook and Tifa Lockheart is not at 10: 30 but at 9:30" said a deep voice.

"I said who the hell is this?" roared Cid. "And whattya mean the wedding is at 9.30?"

Shera entered the room with a look of concern on her face.

"The invitation that was sent to you was a fake"

"What!"

"It deliberately stated the wrong time so that you would miss the wedding"

"Why would Tifa-"

"Cloud Strife is stranded outside Edge, near Angel Groove Chapel. Hurry, there's not much time"

"Whattya talking through yeh hat for?" yelled Cid.

But the phone was dead. Shera approached him.

"Cid, who was that?"

"Some crazy douche bag saying that the wedding is at 9:30"

"What!" said Shera alarmed. "The wedding is in 45 minutes!"

"Hold on to yeh horses, Shera!" he yelled. "I don't know who just called. It could be a trap of all we know"

"But wasn't that one your friends from AVALANCHE?" asked Shera.

"Hey, I won't call any of my friends a 'douche bag'" snapped Cid. "Except maybe Barret. But that's beside the point, he's not involved in the wedding, only Yuffie"

"Well, perhaps you should call her"

"But!"

"No, buts Cid!" snapped Shera, flaring up. "You will call Yuffie now!"

"Alright woman keep yeh hair on" He dialled in Yuffie's number, and waited for a few minutes.

"No answer" Shera's eyes widened.

"If she's not answering her PDA then she's either preparing for the wedding or It could start at any moment!"

Cid shrugged. "There could be a million reasons why Yuffie is not picking up her phone"

The couple stared at each other for a moment.

"Cid, get your coat now!"

"I still ain't sure about this, Shera" said Cid, he clearly wasn't trusting the anonymous caller.

"Well, I am, and I'm telling you to get your coat!"

Cid grumbled and left the room.

"There's no way we can make the wedding in time, not with just forty-five minutes left"

"We still have to try, Cid" said Shera, who seemed to have made up her mind.

Cid growled angrily before turning towards the main door of the house. He opened it and held it open for her.

"Let's go"

* * *

_9:15 a.m. Octium Church _

Tifa was preparing for the event that would change the course of her life. The brunette was still having difficulty accepting the sad reality of her situation. _A sad reality _thought Tifa.

_My life has been nothing but a sad reality _She sighed, she could hear the soft music of the choir and the humdrum of people talking.

"Tifa" She froze.

_Oh God _she thought _It can't be, not now _

Slowly, Tifa turned around, hoping against hope that it wasn't the person who she thought it was. Cloud was standing there; he was sweating, as if he had ran a mile. Tifa immediately turned away upon seeing him.

"What do you want, Cloud?" she said.

"So you're actually going through with this?"

For some reason, he sounded sad and hurt. "Yes" she said, curtly.

"Why shouldn't I? Reno loves me and I love him"

A pause, Tifa thought that Cloud had walked away; she jumped when she felt someone touch her elbow. Tifa turned around and found herself looking into Cloud's eyes.

"Cloud" she gasped.

"Tifa, please listen" said Cloud, the tone of his voice was so soft it made Tifa shiver.

"Do you really love him?" he asked. "Can you really look at me and tell me that you want to spend the rest of your life with Reno? Can you really picture yourself in that man's arms and be happy?"

Tifa turned away from Cloud's intense stare. Cloud and Tifa were inches apart, their foreheads touching in an intimate gesture, his breath tingled her skin as she tried her best to be rational.

_No _she thought _The answer is no, but I can't tell you that, Cloud _

"Reno cares about me" said Tifa, as if that was the answer.

Cloud frowned at her. "He does not _love _you" he said.

"Because he's a Turk?" she snapped.

"Because he's not me" said Cloud, sincerely. "He doesn't have our history, our friendship, our trust-"

At the word trust, Tifa gently shoved Cloud and turned away from him.

"Trust? Did _you _trust me to help you when you had Geostigma? Did you trust me to help you when you had a hard time accepting Aerith's death?"

Silence was the answer.

Tifa hung her head, torn between disappointment and dread. Tifa wanted to talk about why he left, but was _he_ ready to talk about it?

"It had nothing to do with trust" said Cloud. "I didn't want to burden you with my problems, you deserved to be happy after everything we've been through, I _wanted _you to be happy, I wanted to protect you…and I thought leaving was the best solution because…. you wouldn't have to watch me die"

Tifa turned to look at him to respond, but he wasn't finished.

"But there was also another reason" He paused, and Tifa suddenly became aware of her heart thudding so hard in her chest that it hurt, the tension in the air was so thick she thought that she would suffocate.

Cloud continued to talk.

"I felt that by dying alone I would be making up for all my failures"

"Failures?"

"I failed to protect you and Marlene-"

"Failed to protect Aerith?"

Cloud looked at her in surprise, before looking away.

"Partly" he said.

Tifa took a deep breath, now was the time, it was now or never.

"Did you love her?"

Cloud looked at her again, before looking away. This was a question that she dreaded to ask, but she had to know.

"Sometimes I think I did" he said honestly.

For a split second Tifa's heart stopped, this was not what she was expecting.

"What do you mean?" she asked, breathlessly.

"Aerith was different" he said. "In a world where everyone had to learn to protect themselves, she relied on others for protection, she was so innocent…almost naïve in a sense…she turned to me and I. …failed her"

Tifa suddenly felt compassion for him. She walked up to him, and gently cupped his face in her hand, forcing her to look at him.

"You know that she didn't die for nothing?" she said. "She saved us all. Saved you from the stigma"

"I know" said Cloud, taking her hand in his. "I found comfort in that, knowing that she lived on in the Lifestream, but when I was dying all my failures hit me hard, and I thought that perhaps the people I cared about were better off without me"

Tifa immediately shook his hand off, and backed away, glaring at Cloud with undisguised anger.

"Tifa?"

"How could you say that?" she hissed. "How could you just dismiss the people who love you like they mean nothing?"

"Tifa! The people I care about mean the world to me!" said Cloud, loudly.

"Then did you ever think that by running off you made things _worse _rather than better?" said Tifa. "I was so worried Cloud! You took off and abandoned us just when we needed you, I was so confused and hurt and lost!"

"Tifa, I never meant to hurt you" said Cloud.

"No, Cloud" said Tifa, coldly. "You seem to do that effortlessly"

"That's not fair" he hissed. "How do you think I felt, Tifa? I thought our life together: you, me, Marlene and Denzel was a chance for me, for _us _to start over. To make right the wrongs I did. How do you think I felt when I found out that I was going to die with no hope of a cure? How do you think I felt when I found out that _Denzel _had the stigma? God Tifa…"

He turned away; clearly the intense feeling was getting to him too. Tifa stood in silence, they should have had this discussion ages ago, before this mess took place. Could they really turn from a path they were on?

"I thought I was going to lose you" he said. "And I handled it the best way I could"

Tifa took a deep breath, struggling to suppress the emotions bubbling in her.

"You could have done a lot better than running away" she said. "We needed you, Cloud"

"I know" said Cloud, turning to face her. "I know now that running away is never an answer. But Tifa, aren't _you_ running?"

Tifa frowned in confusion.

"What?" Cloud walked up to her closing the gap between them with perilous intimacy.

"You're marrying Reno when you don't love him. Isn't that running away?"

Tifa's first instinct was to yell at Cloud and tell him that it was none of his business. But hesitated, Cloud was opening up to her, and she in turn had to open up to him. He would never be as honest again as he was now if she rebuked his words. So she decided to speak the truth.

"Reno maybe a lot of things, Cloud" said Tifa. "But at least I know what he wants from me"

She didn't need to look at Cloud to know that he was feeling annoyed.

"And what's that?" he said. "Someone to cook his food, someone to wash his clothes?"

"What I am _trying_ to say, Cloud" interrupted Tifa. "Is that he doesn't make it so difficult for me….not like you"

Tifa met Cloud's eyes as she spoke these final lines. She stared into those blue depths, feeling enthralled, she gulped as she waited for his response.

"I'm the reason you started dating Reno"

Tifa gasped in surprise, those were not the words she was expecting, but he finally understood the truth.

"He made me feel wanted" she said, for some reason Tifa couldn't look at him and turned away as she spoke.

"I didn't feel like someone on the outside who was trying to look in, I didn't feel like an outcast and at the time it was exactly what I needed. The truth is Cloud" she looked up at him, filled with a need to look him in the eye as she said these words.

He was studying her intently.

"It's so difficult to know what you truly want out of life, out of me, out of anything, and sometimes, I just feel so lost when I'm thinking about you, and I don't like feeling lost Cloud, I really don't" she added.

Nothing changed in Cloud's expression, he was studying her, and drinking every word she was saying. Normally such attention from Cloud would have unnerved Tifa, but she was on tirade about her emotions that she did not notice, it had been bottled up for so long, that to finally express them was a relief, which was futile to express in words.

She continued to speak. "I know you're not the sort of man who talks about his feelings all the time, and I respect that, but sometimes…a little clue about how you feel at times would have really helped me. I thought that after so many years, and after being through so much that you could open up to me as I wanted to open up to you…. But there was always a part of you that you kept closed and it just made me feel so cut out. One day I feel like I know you, but the next day you're someone completely different and sometimes…. It scared me because I thought that I had figured you out all wrong"

She paused. " Reno doesn't do that, he doesn't deliberately hold back who he is, and I don't feel so confused when I'm with him"

An awkward pause followed these words, Tifa felt utterly exhausted, she had never had such an emotional and extensive talk about her feelings with _anyone_, let alone Cloud. For some reason she couldn't look up at him as she awaited his response for she did not know how she would react, would he be angry? Sad? Would he isolate himself? Would he run away?

"Tifa, look at me"

Reluctantly, Tifa looked at him.

"You think that you don't know me? The truth is you're the only one who knows me, Tifa, the only one who understands me. You know all my secrets, to other people I'm like a map that cannot be read, but with you…you know me so well Tifa, _yes you do_" he said, at the look of disbelief on her face. "No woman would have put up with me the way you did, no woman is as patient with me the way you are. Some people can spend a lifetime searching for what we have and sometimes it scares the hell out of me"

Caught up in his passion, he had grabbed Tifa's arms and held her still.

"When I seem aloof and distant it's only because I think you understand how I feel"

"But I don't, Cloud"

"And we can fix that, I can change, there's nothing that we can't get through. If Sephiorth and Geostigma can't break us apart then this shouldn't"

Tifa's breathing had gone shallow, overwhelmed by what Cloud was saying, she had no idea that he could be so _intense. _Cloud leaned in closer, for a moment Tifa thought he was going to kiss her and she opened her mouth to squawk in protest.

But instead, he whispered. "Don't marry Reno" he said. "Don't do this to yourself, don't do this to us"

Tifa turned away, "I wish it were that simple, Cloud, I really wish it were" she said, thinking of Denzel. "But-"

"No!" hissed Cloud, and Tifa was startled by the intensity in his voice.

"Don't tell me you love Reno, because you don't, and don't tell me he loves you because I know he doesn't…Tifa look at me!"

Surprised, Tifa looked up and was immediately mesmerised by his blue eyes.

"To him you are nothing more than just another pretty face, but to me...you are my dreams, my hopes, and my inspiration…. that guy can never love you the way I can. The way you deserve to be loved"

Emotions overwhelmed Tifa, and for a moment she thought she was going to breakdown. She had never until this moment, realized how much she loved the man standing before her, and if it were up to her she would have walked out of the church with Cloud, but she couldn't just think about herself. Tseng had made sure of that.

Besides, how did she know that he would be true to his word? How did she know that he wouldn't run away every time things got rough? How did she know that he wouldn't become the distant, morbid Cloud she saw when he had the stigma? As if sensing the doubt in her mind, Cloud held up her chin and looked at her intently as if searching her soul. Before she could open her mouth to say anything, Cloud kissed her.

The kiss was an exact reflection of the feelings coursing through them, intense and passionate, all thoughts flew from Tifa's mind as she wrapped her arms around his neck. His tongue toyed with her lips, begging for access, and she gave it to him, wanting to drown herself in this feeling. Cloud wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close to him, his tongue plundering her mouth with desire. Tifa moaned, not because of Cloud's technique, but because of the emotions coursing through them, the chemistry and sexual tension built up over the days, perhaps months was channelled into that one kiss.

Cloud's hand gently caressed her hair before resting on her cheek, Tifa began circling Cloud's tongue with her own, determined to take the kiss to another level. A knock on the door resounded through the room.

"Tifa, are you there?"

Tifa broke the kiss while gasping for breath. "Tifa? Is everything okay?"

Tifa turned to the door with a panicked look on her face.

"Everything's fine, Yuffie" she said.

Tifa turned back to Cloud who was looking at her with an expectant look on her face. She stood in the centre of the room not knowing what to do or say. Part of her wanted to run off with Cloud, another part told her that she couldn't just abandon Denzel to Tseng's mercy. Tifa, looked up at Cloud, the expression on her face told him everything.

"Don't do this, Tifa" he said. "You _can't _do this"

"I don't have a choice, Cloud" she said.

Cloud gaped at her.

"What do you mean?" he said."There's _always _a choice"

"No" she said. "There isn't"

Cloud frowned at her.

"What's going on, Tifa?" he said. "Tell me what's going on"

"What do you mean?"

"Something's up. I know you don't want to marry Reno but you are still going through with this. Why?"

Tifa sighed and looked away, the situation was so volatile. If she told Cloud that Tseng had threatened Denzel he would be furious and charge into the wedding….then all panic will ensue.

"Tifa, when I had the stigma you told me not to run, so along as we had a family we could fight anything. Tell me what's going on?"

A knock on the door jarred Tifa out of her thoughts.

"Tifa?" It was Reno. "We're almost ready. Thought I'd let you know"

"Right" yelled Tifa.

She listened tensely as she heard Reno's footsteps fade away, before turning back to Cloud.

"I have to go, Cloud" she said. "The wedding's about to start"

Cloud looked at her as if she had transformed into the Midgar Zolom.

"What?" said Cloud. "After everything you told me about family, you're willing to walk away from me, from Marlene, from Denzel, all for some loser"

"I'm doing this for _our_ family Cloud, please try and see that" said Tifa, flinching at the mention of Denzel.

Cloud glared at her angrily.

"What does he have that I don't?"

Tifa stared, amazed at his change in tone. "What?"

"Tell me Tifa, is it the money? The snazzy clothes? That jerk attitude of his? Does it turn you on?"

Without realizing what she was doing, she drew her hand back and slapped him hard. The impact left a raw red handprint on Cloud's cheek. He did not turn back to face her.

"How could you say that?" whispered Tifa, more hurt than angry. "After everything we've been through, after everything that's just been said, is that what you really think of me? Some low life gold digger?"

"You insist on marrying him, even though you don't like him. What else am I suppose to think?"

An awkward silence followed this statement. Neither of them not knowing what to do or say.

"Get out" whispered Tifa, pointing at the door.

"Tifa-"

"OUT! I don't want to hear it! I'm done talking"

For a few seconds, Cloud stood still staring at Tifa, unable to believe that she was still going to marry someone else in spite of everything they had just talked about. Tifa looked away, avoiding the accusing stare. Finally, after what seemed like hours Cloud walked towards the door, he placed his hand on the handle before turning back to look at the woman who rejected him. Tifa stood still, not trusting herself to stay mad at him if she turned to look at him. Finally, she heard the door open and close softly, and she was alone. Tifa covered her face with her hands as a tear spilled onto her face. Cloud's words were the final straw, she couldn't take it anymore, she sank to her knees as she finally let loose the grief that had been building inside her for so long.

* * *

_9:30 am Octium Church_

Yuffie had warned her that the church was filled with people. At least a hundred pairs of eyes (or so it seemed to Tifa) were following her as she walked down the church in time with the music. Tifa recognised some of the people as workers from the WRO, she saw Reeve in the crowd but most of the people were clearly Reno's friends.

"_What's with the black dress?" _

"_That is not appropriate wedding attire!"_

"_She looks hot, though"_

"_That's not the point!" _

Tifa's shoulders involuntarily stiffened as she heard this comments and she suddenly became extremely self-conscious as everyone continued to stare at her. Above the altar, was a spectacular glass painting of golden crown with a cross in the middle. Light flodded through the glass painting sheding light in various colours across the room.

Tifa finally reached the altar; Reno offered his hand as she came up to him. Tifa gave him a polite smile as they both stood in front of the priest. The priest was an old man, with thinning grey hair and a wrinkled face that resembled a shrivelled prune; his grey eyes swivelled from Tifa to Reno and back to Tifa, taking into account her dress. He began to speak in a squeaky voice.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the matrimonial union of these two people"

_"Don't you mean the woman in the black dress?" _

Tifa resisted the urge to roll her eyes and focused on what the priest was saying.

"If anyone feels that these two people should not be joined together in holy matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace"

Silence followed this statement, if there was anytime to stop this wedding and averting disaster, now was the moment. For a brief moment, Tifa was torn between speaking for herself and keeping silent, she managed to maintain control of her feelings Her ruby brown eyes briefly scanning the crowd. Just as she expected, nobody moved nor did they say anything. Tifa took a deep breath as she fought the urge to run away.

"Since there is no one here to oppose this wedding"

_Unfortunately _thought Tifa.

"Shall we proceed to the vows?"

At this point, Reno turned towards Rude who handed him a small notebook. The Turk opened the book, and began to recite the words.

"From the moment I met you…"

From his loud, monotonous tone Tifa could tell that he was not the one who had written the words. There was no feeling, no expression, no eye contact, just bland reading. Tifa resisted the urge to sigh, and prepared for her turn to recite the vows. Reno's voice was so bland that every word he said slipped through Tifa's attention. Tifa could not believe that there was a time when she _wanted _to marry this man.

Eventually, Reno's drone about love and commitment came to an end and he looked up at her with a smirk on his face. Suddenly, the spotlight was on her, everyone in the church swivelled his or her eyes onto Tifa. Slowly, she turned towards Yuffie, who was standing not too far away from her. Yuffie handed her the notebook, and she opened it to the page where she first wrote her vows. Tifa took a deep breath and looked at the page.

Tifa's mind suddenly went blank.

The words she was staring at were written a few weeks ago, before Cloud found out about her covert relationship with Reno. Staring at the words, Tifa found it hard to believe that she had written them thinking about Reno, or at least, the man she thought Reno was. Tifa opened her mouth to recite the words, but no sound came out. Tifa cleared her throat, as quietly as she could and tried to speak.

"When I first met you. I felt alone, confused and hurt" she took a deep breath. "I wasn't sure about my place in this world. I didn't know where I belonged or to whom I was meant to be with…."

She stopped. Somehow saying these words just didn't feel right, at least not to Reno. Tifa looked up at the man, he wasn't smirking any longer, but smiling encouragingly. Tifa's eyes took in his spiky red hair, his bright brown eyes and his surprisingly neat suit.

There was a time when she had truly loved this man, but she now realized that the love was like a flame on a wicker candle, fleeting and easily wiped out. Her feelings for Cloud were like a tornado, just thinking about him sent her into a whirlwind of dreams. Her feelings for him were unpredictable, one minute she wanted to hit him and the next she wanted to kiss him. The conversation they had just minutes ago was proof of that.

It was this unpredictability about their love that made her doubt the possibility of a relationship with Cloud. Tifa knew that one needed more than just love to make a relationship work, but was Cloud at that stage? Was he ready to be in a serious relationship? With Reno she knew that she would be treated well, but she would never love him and she was sure that any feelings he had for her would wane over time. But there was reassurance in the fact that she could see where it would go five years from now, no matter how depressing the scenario looked, with Cloud it was difficult to predict where the next two weeks would go.

It was in this frame of thinking, did Tifa decide to continue with the vows.

"The past few years have been hard on me, I've lost people whom I've loved, I was uprooted from my home and I've had to constantly struggle with the demons that plagued my life"

Her voice was much louder and much more clearer than before. "I know that you will provide me with reprieve from any demons that come my way in the future…"

She paused, she hesitated at the words _I love you, I trust you and promise to adore you with all my heart _She decided to skip most of the sentence.

"I promise to adore you with all my heart"

Tifa looked up at Reno, feeling her heart bleeding as she did so. Reno gave her a satisfied nod. Having heard the vows, the priest now spoke.

"The rings. You may now exchange the rings"

Tifa was suddenly hit with the urge to run away, she forced the impulse away and with serene calmness, she turned towards Marlene. The little girl came up to her carrying a red velvet cushion, beaming at her as she did so. Tifa took the ring from her, smiling at Marlene. Tifa looked up at Reno and saw him holding the ring in his hand. Tentatively, she held out her right hand to him, he reached out and tried to place the ring on her stared at the gold ring, there was something binding about that circular object, binding, solid and inescapable.

Acting on impulse, she withdrew her hand before Reno could place the ring. The Turk looked up at her surprised.

"Tifa?" said Reno.

Tifa could hear the crowd whispering. Tifa took a deep breath trying to steady her fluttering nerves, marrying someone you didn't really love was harder than she thought. "Tifa" said Reno, there was a warning ring to his tone as he spoke. Tifa glanced past him towards Tseng, the Turk was looking away from her, his eyes locked on someone. Tifa's eyes followed his and she saw Denzel, looking at her with confusion written all over his face. The young boy seemed oblivious to the man staring at him, Tifa gave Denzel a warm smile before turning back to Reno. Tifa couldn't turn back now, not when the boy's life was at stake.

Tifa turned back to Reno, and held out her hand, determined not to pull away. Smiling, Reno brought the ring forward, closer…closer…closer..

A loud crash echoed through the church and she jumped. People cried out and pointed towards the glass painting above the altar, Tifa followed their gaze and gasped as she saw the cause of the noise.

There was a huge hole in the glass were somebody had smashed it to pieces. A man entered the church through the hole and immediately looked down towards the altar.

A man with blonde hair and blue eyes.

Tifa was temporarily robbed of breath as she looked at Cloud with his cocky grin. She resisted the urge to smile, as he did a back flip and landed on the altar right next to the priest. The old man stared at the blonde warrior with a look of disbelief on his face.

"Sorry, father" said Cloud. "But there's been a change of plan"

Yuffie was furious. "Cloud, you idiot!" she yelled, throwing the bouquet she had at Cloud's face. "I told you not to interrupt this wedding"

Cloud ignored Yuffie, and walked over to Tifa and curled his fingers around Tifa's hand. The crowd began to whisper, as Cloud glared at Reno.

"What the hell are you doing, Strife?" he hissed.

"Tifa's coming with me" said Cloud. "And there's nothing you can do about it"

Reno growled in anger, and pulled a gleaming rod from the depths of his coat. The whispers from the crowd increased with fervour.

"I knew you would do this" hissed Reno, angrily. "I knew it and I will not let you ruin this day for me!"

"Is that why you had Fenrir tampered with?" snapped Cloud. "Is that why you ambushed Barret in some rundown place?"

Tifa looked confused. "Cloud?"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" snapped Reno, launching an attack.

"Reno, no!" yelled a voice, who Tifa recognised was Elena.

Tifa felt Cloud push her away as Reno charged at him. He raised his rod and swung down hard at Cloud's head. Cloud caught the blow effortlessly and twisted Reno's arm, who yelled in surprise and fell to his knees. Without saying a word, Cloud punched Reno on his jaw, his face spun to one side, as blood spurted from his mouth.

"That" whispered Cloud, angrily. "Was for all the hell that you caused us"

He hit him again.

"And that" said Cloud. "Was for thinking that you could mess with us and win"

Reno didn't say anything, Tifa noticed that five or six people had approached the altar, in dark suits and rods in their hand. She also noticed that and Elena was the only one who had not moved….

A loud crash erupted through the room. Everyone turned to the source of the noise, Tifa gasped while Cloud grinned. Barret was standing at the entrance, the door literally in pieces. A look of anger crossed his scarred face, his brown eyes scanning the crowd. When he saw Reno, he pointed a large hand at the redhead who was wiping blood from his mouth.

"You got some explaining to do, Redhead!" he roared.

Tifa frowned, "What's he talking about?" she whispered to Cloud.

"I'll tell you later" came the response, as Yuffie smacked her forehead in exasperation.

"Come with me" he said. Cloud did not give her a chance to respond.

He tightened his grip around her waist and leapt into the air. Tifa could see Barret charging at Reno who stood still, absolutely petrified. The couple sailed through the air and onto the window, which only seconds ago was covered by a glass painting. Tifa only had a moment to register that she was staring at the street before she felt herself plummeting. She gasped in surprise, as she struggled to steady herself on the concrete ground. The unrelenting heat of the sun hit her hard and she winced as her eyes adjusted to the bright light. Tifa turned to Cloud, who was staring at her, trying to anticipate her reaction. She couldn't help but smile.

"How did you do that?" she asked, slightly breathless. Cloud shrugged. "Mako enhanced" he said. Tifa smiled, she should have known.

Cid was waiting for them in the Shera, the flying airship hovered gracefully above the street as he threw down a ladder for them to climb. Tifa had to take off her shoes to properly mount the ladder. Once, they were inside, Cloud grabbed her hand and without saying a word, led her down the corridor and into one of the many rooms of the airship. Cloud closed the door and turned to Tifa.

"You're probably mad about what I did"

_Actually, I'm not _thought Tifa, but thought it best to keep it to herself.

"You had some nerve" she said, crossing her arms above her chest. "I want an explanation"

Cloud smirked at her. "The explanation lies in the little talk we had"

Tifa raised an eyebrow. Cloud closed the gap between them, and cupped her face in his hands.

"You told me that there are times that you felt like you didn't know me" he said. "The one thing you _should _know is that I never repeat my mistakes. I abandoned you once, and I'll never do it again"

Tifa smiled. "Go on" she said.

"The truth is, it's always been you, Tifa. I may have liked Aerith but what I felt for her was miniscule compared to how I feel about you"

"And?" said Tifa, smiling.

"And you owe me an apology"

"For what?"

"For slapping me"

"You called me a low life gold digger!"

"I didn't call you that, you said that"

"Well, you implied it"

"You were marrying some other guy, I had a right to be angry"

"Well, clearly I didn't marry him because you-"

"Tifa! Enough! This is stupid" said Cloud. "Tell me honestly. Do you love me?"

Tifa paused, she was suddenly aware of how close Cloud was, his lips just inches from her own.

"Yes" she said.

"And do you want to be in a relationship with me?"

She hesitated. "Yes"

Cloud smiled at her, his hand found the back of Tifa's head and he pulled her into a gentle kiss. Tifa leaned into the kiss with a deep hum.

"You know there's something I've wanted do since I saw you in that dress" said Cloud in between kisses.

"And what's that?" whispered Tifa, feeling breathless.

In one swift movement, Cloud moved Tifa against the table and kissed her even harder. One hand moved around her waist, while the other began to crawl up her thigh. Tifa's skin prickled at his touch and he could feel his hardness close to her hip.

"Aren't we going a bit too fast?" she said, slightly out of breath.

"If we went any slower we would be going backwards" said Cloud. "And besides we have some catching up to do"

Tifa's hand found the back of her hand and she gently pulled Cloud away from her.

"Cloud, I'm serious" she said. "We need to take things slow"

For a moment, she expected Cloud to frown in anger, but to her surprise, he nodded.

"I understand" he said. "We've got so many things to talk about"

She smiled. "We need to talk about how we're going to live as a couple, a couple with two children under our care"

"I know" said Cloud, wrapping his arms around her waist. "And I completely understand"

"Really?"

"Of course, although" and he smiled mischievously. "That doesn't mean we shouldn't be able to take advantage of being alone" Without waiting for a response he brought his lips to hers and began to kiss her.

Just when things were getting heated between the two of them a ringing tune echoed through the room. Cloud groaned in disappointment, his lips against Tifa's neck.

"Cloud" whispered Tifa, who was just as disappointed. "Cloud, you better get that"

Reluctantly, Cloud pulled away and took out his PHS.

"Cloud, here" he said, speaking into the phone. He frowned as the person on the other line replied.

To Tifa's great surprise, he held out the phone to her.

"It's for you" he said.

"Me?" said Tifa, her surprise mirrored in her face.

"Apparently" said Cloud, who was just as surprised.

Tifa took the phone and put it to her ear.

"Hello?"

A deep voice spoke on the other end of the line. "That was quite a show you gave us, Miss Lockheart"

Tifa frowned. "Who's this?"

"I have a certain someone with me" said the voice. "A young boy around eight years old and answers to the name Denzel"

Tifa's eyes widened in horror, it was as if she had been drenched in ice, for a moment, her mind stopped working.

"Tseng?"

"Meet me at the Plaza in five minutes"

The phone went dead. Tifa lowered the PHS and looked at Cloud with a fearful expression on her face.

"Tifa? What's wrong?"

Tifa's lower lip trembled as she opened her mouth to speak.

"There's something I have to tell you"

* * *

Cloud was seething with anger.

"Remind me to kill Tseng" he said, pacing up and down on the deck of the Shera.

"Cloud now's not the time" said Tifa.

"Hey, Cid" "Yeah?"

"Remind me to kill Tseng after we get Denzel"

"No problem"

Cloud turned to Tifa.

"How could you not tell me about this sooner?" he said.

Tifa sighed; she knew this was coming as soon as she decided to tell him everything.

"I was not thinking clearly, I have no excuses"

"Barret? Yuffie? Why didn't you tell any of them?"

"Well…." Said Tifa. "Like I said before, I wasn't thinking clearly, Cloud…"

"Of course she wasn't thinking clearly" said Cid, from the front. "She was going to marry some red headed dickhead!"

"Stay out of this, Cid" snapped Cloud.

"I'll talk whenever I want to douche bag, and not when you tell me" said Cid.

Cloud shook his head, and turned to look at Tifa. She was looking the other way, a worried look on her face. Cloud moved around her and hugged her around the waist.

"He'll be fine" he said, confidently.

"How do you know that?" whispered Tifa, turning around in his arms.

"Because the Turks know we'll kill them if they hurt Denzel" said Cloud. "And they're not that stupid"

Tifa looked unsure.

"It's my fault he's in danger" she said. "If had just told someone"

"Stop blaming yourself" said Cloud, turning Tifa so that she would face him. "What's done is done. Now let's just focus on getting him back"

Tifa still looked worried, and Cloud knew that she would continue to worry until Denzel was safe.

"We're here" said Cid, peering at the ground below. "Hasn't changed much, has it?"

The Plaza had been the place where Cloud and the others had fought the Behmount summoned by Kadaj. The damage done by the mighty beast had been extensive and the WRO was still trying to repair many surrounding buildings. Cloud couldn't understand why the mysterious caller would want to meet them here of all places.

Without waiting for the ladder to descend, Cloud leapt from the Shera and landed on the ground, and looked around. The place was completely deserted, many people had stayed clear of the Plaza ever since the terrifying events six months ago. Cloud heard a scuffling sound behind him and turned around. Tifa was descending the ladder, Cloud held out his hand to help her. She got to the ground without noticing the proffered assistance and immediately looked around.

"Do you see him?" she asked.

"No" said Cloud.

"Where is he?" said Tifa, anxiously. "Denzel! DENZEL!"

"Tifa!"

Both Cloud and Tifa turned around, their hearts hammering, they would recognise that voice anywhere. Denzel was running towards them, a look of joy on his face. Tifa ran to him and gave him a bone-crushing hug.

"Denzel" sighed Tifa, relief evident on her face.

Cloud smiled at the scene before approaching the two of them. Tifa broke the hug and held Denzel at arm's length with a stern expression on her face.

"Denzel what happened? Who brought you here? Do you know where Marlene is?"

Denzel looked puzzled at Tifa's abrupt change in attitude but answered the questions.

"I think Marlene is with Yuffie" he said. "After you left, Barret was really mad at Reno about something, _everyone _started to freak out. People were pushing and shouting and yelling…"

Tifa felt a twinge of guilt because she felt indirectly responsible. Cloud on the other hand, merely shrugged as if he couldn't care less.

"I tried to get out" said Denzel. "But I lost Marlene and Yuffie and I didn't know which way to go because everyone was pushing me. That was when this guy came over"

"What guy?" said Cloud and Tifa, at once.

"The tall guy with the sunglasses, the guy who always hangs out with Reno. I didn't know whether I should trust him or not" said Denzel. "But then he said he'd take me to you guys, so we slipped out the back door of the church, grabbed a car and well…"

Denzel spread his arms in obvious delight. "Here we are…"

Cloud stared at the young boy perplexed, didn't Tseng threatened to kill him a couple of days ago? What happened? How did Denzel get out? _Who _got him out? He glanced at Tifa to see his confusion mirrored in her face as well.

"Tifa?" said Denzel.

"It's okay, Denzel" said Cloud, kneeling in front of the boy."We'll go back home and wait for Marlene and Yuffie to come back"

"Yeah" said Tifa, snapping out of her stupor. "Let's go home"

Despite his words, Cloud wasn't planning on going home just yet.

_I'm going to kill, Tseng _he thought to himself.

Cloud turned to give Tifa a look that expressed the thoughts in his mind. Tifa gave him a warning look and a gentle shake of the head.

"Hey, there he is!" yelled Denzel, suddenly, pointing behind them.

Cloud's head whipped around, eager to see the person who delivered Denzel to safety. He could see a dark figure approaching them from across the Plaza. Even though Cloud couldn't see his face, he could recognise the stiff walk and the tall, broad frame of the person.

"It's Rude" he said to Tifa.

"He's not a bad guy at all" said Denzel, with a small smile on his face. "Not like Reno anyway"

Cloud smiled to himself, before walking towards the approaching figure. "Cloud?" said Tifa, with a hint of concern in her voice. Cloud turned back to her with a reassuring smile.

"I'm just going to talk" he said. She nodded with a small smile.

After a couple of paces, Rude's stoic face became visible and Cloud stopped at a respectable distance. For a moment, the two men stopped and stared, sizing each other up. After a while, Cloud spoke.

"Why did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Thwart Tseng's plan should Tifa decide not to go through with the wedding?"

Rude took his time to respond, he hitched his sunglasses further onto his nose.

"It seemed a little mad" he said. "To threaten a child over a wedding, and I promised Reno that as a friend that I would watch his back….I hope he realizes what I meant"

Cloud narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

"_Mad_ is what you guys do" he said. "I would have thought that you Turks would have been proud of what your boss was doing. Blackmailing AVALANCHE into doing your will, sounds like a dream come true"

"We're no longer the organization that worked for a company that exploited the Lifestream" said Rude, honestly. "Times have changed, and frankly, I wasn't proud of what Tseng….or Reno were doing"

"And what was that?"

"Disrupting your lives"

Cloud was taken aback. "What?"

"Tseng isstill caught up in the idea that we're the blackmailing organization that we once were" said Rude. "And Reno, well…. he's just too stubborn for his own good"

Cloud scrutinised Rude, he could tell that the Turk was being truly honest with his words.

"And what makes you think Tseng and Reno won't stop?" he said. "What makes you think that just because Tifa didn't go through with the wedding Reno wouldn't come around our house? What makes you think that just because you snatched Denzel from right under his nose, Tseng wouldn't stop trying?"

"I'll talk to Reno and Tseng" said Rude. "In the meantime it's best if you leave Edge"

Cloud threw back his head and laughed loudly.

"You expect me to hide from your friends?" said Cloud, there was a soft hiss to his voice.

"Well, you tell them this" He approached Rude until he was almost face-to-face with the Turk. "If they _ever _come near my family again, If they ever even so much as _look _at Tifa, Marlene and Denzel. I will hunt them to the ends of the universe and do to them what I did to Sephiroth. Do you understand? "

"I'll be sure to pass on the message" said Rude, trying to sound casual.

"You better" said Cloud, eyes glowing with anger. "Because I am _fed up _of people trying to tell me and the people I love how to live our lives"

Cloud turned around and began to walk away, but then stopped. "You know, Denzel thinks you're pretty decent guy" he said to Rude.

"He's a good kid" said Rude. "And he is very bright. I hope he's happy with you and Tifa"

"I hope so too" said Cloud, his heart softening despite his initial anger. "I guess I should thank you for doing what you did. If it weren't for you, Denzel would have been in a lot of trouble"

Rude nodded and turned to go, but paused when Cloud called out to him.

"Do you think Tseng would have done it?" Rude turned around.

"Done what?"

"Carry out his threat?"

Cloud had no doubt that Tseng would have done what he had promised to do, but he wanted Rude's opinion on the matter.

"I guess we'll never find out, won't we?" he said.

Cloud nodded. "Right…see you around, Rude"

Rude nodded and turned to go. Cloud watched him for a few moments, before turning around and walking away.

As Cloud approached Denzel and Tifa, the brunette warrior looked up.

"What did he say?" she said. "Nothing much, he was just concerned about Reno and Tseng, some noble garbage" said Cloud.

Tifa was looking at him with a calculating look on her face.

Cloud turned to her. "What?"

"You're planning on going after Reno and Tseng, aren't you"

"Wouldn't you?"

"Cloud…" she sighed, and rubbed her temple. "I know should hate Tseng for what he did, and I know I should be mad at Reno but…"

"But what?" said Cloud, when she trailed off. A small part of him began to suspect that Tifa had feelings for Reno, he quickly pushed the thought aside.

"I'm just so tired, Cloud" said Tifa. "I'm tired of dealing with the Turks, I'm tired of this emotional upheaval I've been going through recently, I don't have the energy to be mad or to hate anyone, right now"

Suddenly, she leapt into Cloud's arms, her arms around his neck.

"I have an idea" she said, brightly. "Let's go to Costa De Sol!"

"What?" asked Cloud, having trouble keeping up with Tifa's change in attitude.

"Let's go on a vacation, let's get away from Edge for a while…Get away from _all this_. For just one week, maybe more"

Cloud smiled, the thought of being with Tifa alone even for a couple of days sounded wonderful, the thought of seeing Tifa in a bikini was too exciting to contemplate.

"Sure" he said. "But what about Denzel and Marlene?"

Tifa frowned. "We're taking them with us, of course"

"We are" said Cloud, surprised.

He had briefly pictured himself and Tifa _alone _in Costa De Sol.

Tifa raised an eyebrow. "Did you honestly think that I would let Denzel out of my sights after what Tseng threatened to do?"

"You have a point" said Cloud. "Okay you win, let's go to Costa De Sol. The four of us"

He was sure that he could find some time alone with Tifa. As if reading his mind, Tifa drew closer and leaned towards Cloud's ear.

"Maybe you could show me a few surf moves while Marlene and Denzel are busy with sandcastles"

"But I don't know any…" started Cloud, but stopped at the look from Tifa's face.

Her inviting brown eyes told him that they would be doing a whole a lot more than just surfing, he resisted the impulse to squeeze her buttocks.

"We're going to Costa De Sol?" asked Denzel, who was oblivious to what was going on between the two adults. "When!"

Cloud turned to Denzel and smiled. "We can start packing as soon as we go home"

"Woopee!" yelled Denzel. "I've never been to the beach before…"

"Hey you two!" came a distant voice from above them.

Cloud looked up to see Cid glaring down at him. "If you're done cuddling get on the airship already. I ain't a taxi for hire!"

"We're coming, Cid" yelled Tifa.

She turned to Denzel and smiled. "What do you say we first look Marlene and then start packing?"

Denzel nodded, his blue eyes brimming with excitement. Cloud watched the two of them scuttle up the ladder; he made sure that Tifa's back was turned to him before he took out his PHS, and dialled a number. A voice picked up on the other end.

"Yeah?" "Barret, How's it going?"

"Spectacular"

Cloud grinned at the obvious glee in the voice.

"Where's Tseng?"

"Sent him packing. Why?"

"Keep an eye on him. I have a bone to pick with him once I get back from Coasta De Sol"

"_You're going to Costa De Sol?_" said Barret. "Yeah Tifa needs a break, oh, and we're taking Marlene too. Is that okay?"

"What?" yelled Barret. "Now wait here-"

"Thanks Barret, bye"

Cloud snapped his PHS closed with a flourish. He knew that Barret wouldn't be mad for long; after all he trusted him and Tifa to look after Marlene when he was away. Why should Costa De Sol be any different? Besides, Tifa needed the break Barret would see that. _Tifa…._ Thought Cloud.

He was still having difficulty accepting that Tifa was now _his _girl, _his _woman. They still had some issues to sort out and not to mention how their relationship would affect Marlene and Denzel. But Cloud was certain that they could sort through them easily. If there was one thing he learnt from this entire ordeal, anything was possible if you had the will. The warrior tried not to think about the time when he was stranded outside Edge, when Fenrir was disabled and what could have happened if Cid and Shera hadn't showed up on time. Cloud knew that he would have to take it slow with Tifa, not rush into things, but Cloud was more than willing to wait, because some things were just worth waiting for. The thought of being in a relationship with Tifa was an exhilarating prospect. Tifa was an amazing woman, beautiful, kind, caring, understanding, to Cloud, she was simply perfect.

Now they could spend the rest of their lives together. Cloud thought about the vision that Aerith and Zack showed him, the one where he and Tifa were married with children of their own. Perhaps that vision would come true, perhaps they would finally find the peace and happiness that they had struggled to find for so long.

"Hey, Cloud, get on already will yeh?"

Cloud smiled to himself. _Life can't get any better than it is right now_ he thought to himself.

Smiling, the warrior climbed onto the ladder and disappeared into the airship.

* * *

_A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. There's an epilouge to come, so stay tuned. I also want to apologise about any grammatical or speeling error, it's very difficult for an author to spot them ALL, especially on a big chapter like this one. _


	8. Epilouge: Peace at Last

_A/n: I would like to thank Marisa, Nutt man 117, mom calling and vLuna for their fantastic and encouraging reviews in the previous chapter (You guys rock!!!) Here is the final chapter for the story. It came alot sooner than the previous chap. and I hope people enjoy it._

_ I listened to Brian McKnight's 'Back at One' while typing this chapter. Classiscs are classics. ENJOY!!! _

* * *

Epilogue: Peace at Last

_One year later_

"This place is beautiful!!" cried Yuffie, spinning around on her feet like a ballerina as she spoke.

Barret merely guffawed at the ninja's childish antics, his mind clearly not on the surroundings.

"I can't believe it's been a year" he said. "A year since they started, you know…."

"I know right?" said Yuffie, turning around to look at him. "Time passes by so quickly"

"Do you think they're rushing into this?" said Barret, sounding nervous. "I mean…It's only been a year"

Yuffie rolled her eyes and turned to the other person with them.

"Vincent, what do you think?" she said. "Do you think Cloud and Tifa are rushing into things?"

Vincent's red eyes did not leave Yuffie's brown pair as he spoke. "I think Cloud and Tifa are old enough to make their own decisions" he said. "If they feel that the time is right to get married. I don't see how anyone can convince them otherwise"

Yuffie rolled her eyes again, as she looked Barret. "What Vinnie, is _trying _to say" she said. "Is that Cloud and Tifa are _not _taking things too slow, they've known each other for _years_, Barret, and frankly, I've never seen either of them so happy. I mean, Cloud is actually smiling and _laughing _what does that say about their relationship?"

Barret huffed and turned away. "Yeah" he said. "Only they can decide if they're ready or not"

Yuffie stared.

"Perhaps you can take a hint or two from Tifa, Yuffie" said Vincent, his red cloak billowing in the gentle breeze.

Yuffie turned towards him. "What do you mean?"

"I'm surprised that Rude hasn't cracked a smile, yet" said Vincent. "Especially when you consider whom he's dating"

Barret laughed loudly, his voice booming across the room. Yuffie didn't look insulted, on the contrary, she gasped as her hand went to her mouth.

"Do mine ears deceive me?" she whispered. "_Is Vinnie making a joke?_"

She turned back to Barret. "I think this place is infectious"

Barret smiled. "Speaking of Rude, where is he?"

Barret had been rather fond of the Turk ever since he learnt of what he had done for Denzel on that disastrous day over a year ago. But what Barret didn't know was that Rude had played an invaluable role in diffusing the tension between AVALANCHE and the Turks, especially after Cloud and Barret had tracked down Tseng and had literally beaten him to a pulp.

"Rude will be coming with Cid and Shera" said Yuffie. "As soon as he can get time off work. I think Tseng will try and keep him busy the whole day, today" She frowned, as if conjuring a dark conspiracy. "I don't think he ever got over the beating you and Cloud gave him. According to Rude it's only been yesterday since he fully recovered from the injuries you guys gave him"

Barret scoffed. "He deserved it. Who the hell does he think he is? Threatening an innocent kid like Denzel just so that his friend could marry Tifa?" Silence followed this statement; it was a pleasant companionable silence as the three friends thought about the future.

A clock chimed in the distance, and they three of them were shaken from their stupor.

"Let's get this show on the road" said Yuffie, exuberantly. "I'll go get Tifa! Vinnie you wait for the guests!"

Vincent sighed, and stalked away. Barret turned to Yuffie.

"What guests? They're just three people coming!"

"Cid, Shera, Rude, Reeve…" said Yuffie, counting on her fingers.

"That's four, Barret" Barret rolled his eyes. "Whatever, let's go"

* * *

Cloud Strife rubbed his hands, pacing around the room like a restless predator. Cloud had never more nervous than he was at this moment, nor had he ever been as excited.

Life continued to deliver it's share of surprises.

The past year had been the happiest in his twenty-four years of existence. Cloud's relationship with Tifa was something out of a fairytale, a world of absolute bliss and insurmontable pleasures. The warrior recalled how they spent their nights and early mornings, kissing, making love, and whispering sweet words to each other. Looking back on the past year, many people are inclined to think that Cloud had saved Tifa from the biggest mistake of her life when he crashed Reno's wedding, but Cloud knew better, he may have saved Tifa, but Tifa had done something for him that paled in comparison to what he did. Tifa had opened his eyes to wonderful woman who was standing right in front of him and who had always stood beside him. Times were not always pleasant, Cloud recalled how he and Tifa would fight over the silliest things, but despite the words exchanged (and even the stuff thrown at him) they still loved each other, and wanted to be together. If that did not spell love, Cloud didn't know what did.

Cloud walked over towards the window and gazed at the breath-taking scene before him. The snow capped mountains loomed over him, but there was a strange beauty to it, there was nothing daunting or intimidating about these mountains. Cloud's mind flashed through several memories at the sight of these mountains. Climbing the Northern Crater only to descend into a pit crater of doom, a little girl slipping and falling off the cliff, despite his efforts to save her. Cloud heard the door open, and he turned around, glad for a distraction from his thoughts. Barret was standing at the doorway; he looked clean, impeccable and dignified in his neat suit. Cloud's eyes passed over his grey shirt and blue tie, barely distinguishable against his black overcoat.

"You look neat" he said.

Barret nodded in acknowledgement of the compliment. "But you don't" he said. "Where's your tie?"

Cloud grinned sheepishly. "I decided not to wear that" he said. "I thought I'd look better without it"

Barret frowned. "What are yeh talking about?" he snapped. "You _have _to wear the tie"

Cloud scowled at Barret's tone. "I'm not wearing a tie, if I don't want to" he snapped.

"You do realize that Tifa will kill you, right?"

Cloud frowned. "Tifa's not going to kill me" he said, with confidence. "I think she'll be more surprised if she saw me with a tie than without"

"But it's yeh wedding!" said Barret.

"Exactly, and Tifa is not going to care whether I have a tie or not"

Barret sighed. "I hope you're right…. For your sake"

Cloud glanced at the large mirror across from him. He was wearing a dark blue suit with matching trousers, beneath the naval tux was a stark white shirt that contrasted heavily with the dark blue of his suit. Everyone had been surprised at his choice of suit, but Cloud couldn't imagine himself wearing a black or brown or even white suit for that matter, especially as the latter reminded him of Rufus Shinra. Looking at the mirror, Cloud was more than satisfied with the choice he made and he wondered how Tifa would react, he was also dying to see her in a wedding dress.

"Are we ready, Barret?" he asked.

"Yeah" said Barret. "We're almost ready, I came here to tell you that"

"Right" said Cloud, feeling butterflies jumping in his stomach.

"Let's go"

He left the small room and made his way through the corridor of the small hotel they were in.

"Nervous?" asked Barret, from behind him.

Cloud raised an eyebrow at the question.

"What if I said yes?"

He heard Barret chuckle from behind him.

"I'd say don't be. You and Tifa are made for each other. You can do this"

Cloud smiled at the words and decided to bait him. "And what if I said no?"

"Then I'd think something's wrong with yeh" It was Cloud's turn to chuckle.

* * *

"Tifa! Come on! The wedding's about to start"said Yuffie, bursting through the door of the small room.

Tifa was sitting in front of a large round mirror with a peaceful look on her face. She looked up as Yuffie entered the room and smiled.

"Hey Yuffie, is everything ready?"

"We're all waiting for you"

She caught Tifa's reflection in the mirror and gasped. "Teef" she sighed. " You look absolutely beautiful"

Tifa turned to smile at her own reflection. "And this time I picked my own dress" she said.

Yuffie giggled as she recalled Tifa's black wedding dress. Yuffie felt guilty for not berating Reno for his eccentric choice and quickly decided to change the subject.

"So" she said. "You're finally getting married?"

Tifa smiled. "Yeah" she said. "I am"

The expression on her face was all Yuffie needed to know that Tifa was simply thrilled at the prospect of marrying Cloud.

"It's been a long time coming" she acknowledged, more to herself than anyone in the room.

"Is everyone here?" said Tifa.

"They should be, Shera won't miss this for the world, and we gave them proper invitations with the actual time and venue"

Tifa laughed, like wind chimes tinkering in the breeze.

"Let's go" she said.

Tifa rose from her chair in a graceful manner and collected her bouquet from Yuffie. The ninja opened the door and bowed gracefully and as low as her dress would allow.

"Right this way, Miss Lockheart" she said.

"Or should I say, Mrs. Strife?"

Tifa smiled at her before leaving the room.

Cloud gulped and tugged at his collar, he had never thought that he would be this nervous. The swordsmen could feel a small tingle of sweat travel down his temple and into his shirt, it was odd to be sweating considering that they was a gentle and persist breeze blowing through the room. Was it okay to be this nervous? He glanced towards his best man looking for reassurances. As if sensing the distressing look, Vincent turned to him and nodded encouragingly. Cloud sighed, and turned to look straight head, he didn't know why he was this nervous. Perhaps it was because by nightfall, there would be a Mrs. Strife in his life, that title had always belonged to his mother, even though she had passed away years ago. Perhaps, there was something about marriage that seemed to…. confirm a relationship; legitimise its existence in the sappiest way possible. Perhaps, Cloud knew that from now on, the world would look at him and no longer see him as a bachelor, but a married man, the thought made him feel old. But since when did Cloud care about what others thought? As far as he knew, marrying Tifa was the best thing that could happen to him, it was a significant step in his life, as significant as the day he choose to leave Nibelheim. It was life-changing, earth shattering. Today would be one of the happiest days of his life, one of the few events he will be able to look back on and smile.

So why was he so nervous?

Cloud turned and observed his surrounds, trying to drive all thoughts from his mind. They were in a small open room that was separated from the rest of the hotel by a long corridor. A large, dome ceiling was supported by several pillars made of marble; the room had no walls and was exposed to a gentle, soothing breeze. There was a long white carpet that leads from the entrance to the makeshift altar where Cloud was standing. Along the white carpet, were stands that held a bouquet of red and white roses. Cloud was standing directly in front of the makeshift altar, which was nothing more than a small round table with a vial of wine and a gold chalice. Vincent stood to his right his demeanour unchanged by the happy events about to unfold. Sitting in a single row, a short distance from the altar was the guests. Cid, Shera, Reeve and Rude. The Turk looked impeccable as usual in his dark suit, though he had ditched the black tie for a deep scarlet one. Reeve was wearing a blue suit, very similar to Cloud's, but a shade lighter. His eyes darted around the room with an appreciative look on his face, but Shera's large brown eyes were on Cloud. As the two made eye contact, she gave him a heart-warming smile and a small nod. Cid was also looking at him, though he wasn't smiling, just staring at Cloud with a slight frown on his face. Cloud frowned back at him.

That was when the music started.

Everyone in the room turned toward the entrance. Marlene came down the aisle in a purple dress, carrying a small basket of flowers in her arms. She began to toss white lilies onto the red carpet before veering off to a side. From the corner of his eye, Cloud saw Denzel give her the thumbs up. Tifa stepped into a view and for a moment, Cloud forgot how to breathe.

Tifa was dressed in an elegant white dress that hugged her form but in a gentle and subtle manner. The area around the neckline was made out of thin transparent.

Cloud could only stare, enthralled at the sight of Tifa as she approached the altar with Barret next to her. It was fairly transparent around the neck. Her hair was tied up into an elegant bun exposing the soft, delicate flesh of her neck, where a pearl necklace glimmered in the light of the room. Her ruby brown eyes glistened with emotion as she looked at the man she was marrying. Cloud's mouth had gone dry, as he suddenly realized that he was no longer nervous. He couldn't help but smile at his bride as she approached him. The sight of Tifa in her dress proved beyond a doubt that what he was doing was right.

Tifa approached him, and greeted him with a warm smile. Cloud smiled back, his heart fluttering in response; he took a deep breath and turned towards the priest who was waiting for them with a smile.

"Dearly beloved, we're gathered here today to witness the union of this man" He inclined his head towards Cloud.

"And this woman" He nodded towards Tifa.

"Should anyone have a reason why these two shouldn't be together, speak now or forever hold your peace"

Cloud resisted the urge to roll his eyes. The speech was beginning to grate on his nerves, if anyone objected to his marriage he was going to Omnislash that person, and besides, what kind of fool invited someone who didn't like you to their wedding? The expected silence greeted the priest's speech and he turned to the couple with a fatherly smile on his face.

"Your vows, if you please"

Cloud's heart stopped, he continued to stare at the priest as if paralysed.

Vows?

He forgot to complete the vows he started. He could have been so stupid! He gulped nervously and turned to Tifa. Her back was turned to him and only her white veil was visible. Cloud turned away, trying not to think about the look on Tifa's face once she found out that he had not completed his vows. The warrior tried not to panic and tried to recall what he had written earlier…. but his mind was racing, and he couldn't focus.

As if from far away, Cloud heard Tifa speaking to him, and he rallied his mind to focus on her.

"Cloud" his name escaped her lips like a hallowed charm, and he felt his heart jolt.

"We've known each other for so long, since the flush of our childhood" she said. "In the years I've known you, we've come so far, you went from being that shy little boy who use to watch me play with my friends to the man who is the centre of my life"

Cloud felt his breath hitch, was he going to cry now?

"And we've made so much progress together, we went from strangers, to comrades, to friends, to lovers and now, come nightfall"

She paused. "You will be my husband"

Cloud swore he heard a sniff from the small crowd behind him and he could only guess whom.

"Cloud, when we take this final leap in our relationship. I promise you with all my heart, that I will do everything in my power to make sure that we progress towards becoming a stronger couple, with a steadfast marriage"

Cloud so enthralled by her words, that he did not realize that he had stopped breathing, he took a deep breath, and he suddenly realized, in full panic, that he had prepared nothing.

"Cloud?" he turned to Tifa, her large ruby eyes were fixed on his blue pair with an adoring smile on her face.

Cloud took a deep breath. _You can do this, Cloud _he said. _You can do this. Tifa is counting on you and I won't let her down. _

He turned back to Tifa, and suddenly he found the confidence he needed.

Cloud opened his mouth to speak.

"There's so much I have to tell you" he said, to Tifa. "That I couldn't write it all down….and frankly, I didn't know how"

Tifa gave him a smile that told him that she wasn't surprised, she knew that words were his weakness.

Cloud heard somebody chuckle, but he was too focused on what he was saying to really care.

"Do you remember that night in Nibelhiem? The day I told you I was going to leave?"

Tifa's eyes began to glisten as she nodded; suddenly, the world around him melted into nothing, as he continued to speak.

"You told me to make a promise, a promise that I would come for you if you were ever in a fix"

He took a deep breath and continued. "Nine years after I made you that promise you were caught in another fix, and I like to think that I upheld it when I came for you that day….where everything could have changed for the worse"

Tifa smiled at the way he referred to that day in Octium Church.

"But today Tifa, I make you a new promise, another promise, and this I will hold to you for the rest of my life"

Cloud took a deep breath, the emotion was literally bursting out of him. "I promise you three things: one, to hold you in my heart night and day, now matter how far I am, Two: To be there for you whenever you need me, just like you needed me in that Mako Reactor. Three: To make you the chamber and key to my heart…and soul"

He ran out of things to say, and he suddenly realised that he had effectively summarised how he planned to spend the rest of his life with Tifa. The look on Tifa's face was priceless, it was as if she was seeing Cloud in a whole new light, she did not speak, she did not move a muscle, but Cloud understood that she was moved by what he had said.  
Resisting, the urge to smirk and mentally congratulate himself, he turned back to the priest, whose paternal look did not waver.

"The rings" he said softly, as if reluctant to puncture the silence.

Simultaneously, Marlene and Denzel stepped forward; both of them held plush red cushions where two gold rings glittered in the weak sunlight. Cloud took his ring and gingerly placed it on Tifa's outstretched finger, relishing the hold of her gentle hand in his. Tifa dared a glance at Cloud before placing the ring in his finger. Cloud, looked up and smiled at Tifa, a smile that conveyed more than just happiness.

"By the power invested me"

Cloud took a deep breath, now was the moment, a year long fantasy was about to become a life long reality…. and that was when he saw them….

"I now pronounce you, husband and wife"

Cloud didn't even wait for the lines that followed, his hand went behind her neck and he pulled her into a deep kiss. The small crowd cheered, Cloud could hear Cid whistling. He pulled away, and his eyes fell on the two people standing at the corner, invisible to everyone but him. Zack gave him his trademark smirk and gave him the thumbs up. Aerith was standing there too beaming at him, as she gazed on at the couple.

_"I wish you two a lifetime of happiness" _

Tifa gasped and whirled around in his arms, or at least how far her dress would allow.

"Aerith?"

Cloud looked at her in surprise. "Can you see them?" he asked.

"No, but…"

Her voice trailed off when flowers began to fall from the ceiling, cascading to the floor like snow.

Cloud looked at the two figures. "Thank you" he said. "Thank you both, for everything"

Aerith smiled, she gave him a little bow and faded away.

Zack smiled back at him. _"See yah…Cloud, don't forget to name your kid after me" _

"I won't forget" murmured Cloud.

Zack gave him one last wave and he too disappeared. T

ifa turned to Cloud. "Cloud?"

The blonde returned his attention to Tifa, smiling, he held out his hand. "Take my hand, Mrs. Strife"

Tifa smiled at him, before placing her hand in his.

"I like the sound of that" whispered Tifa. "_Mrs. Tifa Strife" _

_I love the sound of that name _thought Cloud.

The two began to walk down the aisle together. Cloud risked a glance at his guests, everyone, including Cid, was smiling as they approached.

"It's about time you two got hitched!" yelled Cid.

Cloud laughed well naturedly.

_Yes _he thought to himself. _It is about time we got hitched._

As the two approached the exit, Tifa leaned over and whispered. "Those were beautiful wedding vows, by the way"

Cloud smiled. "I meant every word of it"

Tifa smiled back. "I know you did. Cloud there's something I have to tell you"

Cloud was feeling too giddy to notice the look of apprehension flicker across Tifa's face.

"What is it?"

Tifa waited till they were at the exit. She looked up at him, and Cloud saw the love and faith in her eyes.

"Tifa, What is it?"

She smiled at him. "Cloud, I'm pregnant"

**THE END **

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_A/N: And that, ladies and gentlemen concludes 'Choices In Love' and now I would like to thank some people. First of all, to Sigbru, you gave the story it's first review and with it, much needed momentum. To vLuna and Aziza-Chan, you two have been reviewing this story from the 1st chapter to the last and I would like to thank you both so much for your steadfast support. To Marisa, receving such positive reviews from a veteran such as yourself, was a wonderful compliment. _

_AND TO ALL YOU OTHER REVIEWERS OUT THERE!!! both __anonymous _and others, I want to thank you ALL for your reviews, compliments and expressions of glee, saddness and shock. It has been a wonderful experience reading your reviews. This has been my most successful fanfic yet, and it's all thanks to you guys. 

_I don't know if I would return to the world of FFVII anytime soon, but when I do, you can expect a Cloti fic from me, I'm Cloti ALL THE WAY!!! No other pairings for me (I'm narrow minded in that sense, hehe) But for now I must take my leave, I have other worlds to divulge in, the world of Avatar, the world of Harry Potter and the Heroes Universe etc. So I sling my backpack over my shoulder and say to you all. "Vaya Con Dios, amigos!" _

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